Come What May
by i-will-get-you-my-pretty
Summary: AU. Fed up with her life in the wizarding world, Hermione decides to move to Lima, Ohio. There she meets Quinn Fabray and Santana Lopez. Will one of them help her overcome her pain and fear of commitment? Femslash.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So I don't really know how this idea came to me, but I figured I'd give it a go. I have over thirty chapters complete, so I'll be able to update somewhat frequently _if_ this story generates enough interest.**

***PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE STORY BETTER***

**Some things you should know before reading is that, in the Harry Potter-verse, pretty much everything that happened in the books/movies occurred except for some things that will be explained throughout the story. Also, it clearly takes place now instead of in the 90s. **

**In the Glee-verse, the story picks up at the beginning of season 2 and will follow the main events that occurred throughout the season for the most part. The majority of the song selections and big musical numbers will be the same or slightly altered and there will be new performances as well. Also, some of the dialogue is taken directly from the show in order to make the story flow properly.**

**Oh, and Hermione is way OOC and a lesbian in this story, so if that bothers you, I guess you wouldn't enjoy this story too much. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Unfortunately.**

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><p><strong>~Chapter 1~<strong>

A loud crash, followed by a scream awoke Hermione Granger from her less than peaceful slumber. Immediately, panic consumed her as she hurried to find her parents, foolishly leaving her wand behind. She sprinted down the stairs when familiar maniacal laughter rang out from behind her.

"Why hello there, Mudblood. We meet again." The brunette slowly turned around and met the steely gaze of Bellatrix Lestrange. "Come here, I have something I want to show you." Before Hermione could respond, the older witch grabbed her by her hair and forcefully dragged her into the next room. What she saw made her blood run cold. Fenrir Greyback and Antonin Dolohov were standing behind the unmoving bodies of Henry and Jean Granger.

"What the hell did you do to them?" Hermione growled, finally finding her voice and jerking away from the female Death Eater.

"Oh, nothing too bad yet, Mudblood. We wanted you to join in on the real fun."

"Do whatever you want to me, Lestrange, but leave my parents out of this."

"We'll see, little girl, we'll see," taunted the slightly shorter witch before she and her fellow sociopaths pointed their wands at the teenager. Hermione closed her eyes and braced herself for what she knew was about to happen. Before she could exhale, two shouts of _Crucio_ came from Bellatrix and Greyback, while Dolohov opted for _Sectumsempra_. Pain erupted throughout her body as the three curses hit her simultaneously, but she refused to scream much to the dismay of the Death Eaters. When Hermione opened her eyes, she was face-to-face with the werewolf of the trio.

"Hello, my pretty," he snarled before pulling the injured girl up and using his claws to tear off her clothes. She spat in his face and tried to take a step back from the revolting creature, but was stopped by the appearance of Dolohov behind her. Greyback backhanded her and wrapped one of his disgusting hands around her throat before lifting her up and throwing her across the room. As she hit the wall and fell to the ground, she heard a bone in her arm snap. Hermione groaned and moved to stand up, but was quickly shoved to the ground by the female Death Eater. Bellatrix climbed on top of her, wielding the knife the young witch recognized all too well.

"It's a pity you're a filthy Mudblood," she purred running the blade down the Gryffindor's cheek. "You're not bad to look at." The cruel witch crashed her lips onto the girl's beneath her and Hermione retaliated by biting down on the older woman's bottom lip. Bellatrix reared back and smacked the teenager across the face. "How dare you!" She shrieked. "You'll pay for that, you little bitch! Dolohov, take care of her bastard father!"

"My pleasure, Bella," the man sneered. "_Avada Kedavra_!"

"No!" Hermione cried out, thrashing around. The dark witch looked down at her gleefully, noticing that the young woman's movements were making the wounds from the _Sectumsempra_ curse even worse.

"Greyback, finish off her whore of a mother." As the second _Avada Kedavra_ rang out, Hermione brought her head up to crash against her abuser. Bellatrix leapt off the wavy-haired brunette, rubbing her head with her hand, murder shining in her eyes. She ordered her colleagues to hold the girl still as she began kicking Hermione repeatedly. Suddenly, several 'pops' were heard outside of the Granger household.

"Shit, it's the Order of the bloody pigeon," grumbled Dolohov before he and his associates vanished as the Order member burst in.

"Oh my god," murmured Tonks as she rushed over to a barely conscious Hermione. She and her fellow Order members tried their best at healing the teenager and managed to mend her shattered arm, but were forced to wrap bandages around her torso. They all looked at the young girl sadly, knowing that she was going to be scarred yet again for the rest of her life. They decided to clean up the scene of the horrendous crime before taking the young Gryffindor her back to Remus and Tonks' place. Remus put her down gently onto an extra bed and joined the others in the vigil by her bedside.

Several hours later, Hermione woke up, looked down at her bandaged body, and unemotionally spoke five words, "I'm moving to Lima, Ohio."


	2. Chapter 2

**~Chapter 2~**

_**Previously: **__Several hours later, Hermione woke up, looked down at her bandaged body, and unemotionally spoke five words, "I'm moving to Lima, Ohio."_

"Um, Hermione, are you sure that's a good idea?" Remus inquired slowly, not wanting to upset the young woman in front of him.

"Yes, my mum's brother lives there and it would get me far, far away from the wizarding world, which—"

"But Hermione, we need you here!" Tonks interrupted unabashedly.

"Not anymore. Voldemort was defeated a couple of months ago and there are only a few rogue Death Eaters left. You guys can handle it without me." No one said anything, knowing that nothing was going to change the stubborn witch's mind.

"Very well, Miss Granger," Kingsley finally said, breaking the silence at last. "Is there anything we can do to help you?"

"Can you bring me a phone? I'd like to inform my uncle about this whole…situation." The Minister nodded his head gravely as he handed her a phone. The four Order members stood around her quietly as she broke the news of her parents' death to one of her only remaining family members. Once she hung up the phone, she turned to her former Transfiguration professor. "He said I can come over as soon as I want and I really want to go now. Um, could we do a quick funeral before I go, though?"

"Of course. We'll all apparate over to your house immediately and you can pack your things while we make the preparations."

"Thank you, Professor," she answered exhaustedly before slowly climbing out of the bed. Once she gained her footing, the pink-haired woman hurried over to her side and put an arm around her. After Hermione was leaning heavily against Tonks, the group disapparated with a collective pop and arrived at the Granger household seconds later. Hermione froze upon seeing her childhood home as memories of what transpired there only a few hours ago rushed through her mind and mentally thanked the Order members for attempting to restore her home to its former glory. With the young female Auror's help, she managed to get up the stairs to her room. The two women remained silent as they packed up everything in the room and shrunk her trunks. They retreated down the stairs and saw that Professor McGonagall had transfigured the couches into two beautiful caskets.

"Hermione, is there anything you'd like me to say?" Remus asked her gently, she only nodded her head. "Although I did not know Henry and Jean Granger personally, I know they were extraordinary people filled with kindness because their only daughter is the most caring, loyal, and brave young woman I have ever met." Hermione hugged him as a single tear trickled down her face.

"Thank you, Remus," she managed to choke out. The group waited patiently as the brunette said goodbye to her parents. As she finished, she wiped her eyes and faced her mentor. "Professor McGonagall, do you think that you could apparate me to some place in Ohio? I think I'll be able to manage apparating to my uncle's apartment from there."

"Alright, Miss Granger. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes." She turned to hug Remus and Tonks and shake hands with Kingsley before grabbing her favorite professor's arm and her ever-faithful beaded bag. Several moments later, the two witches found themselves in Columbus, Ohio. "Thank you for everything, Professor. Tell Harry that I'll write to him as soon as I've settled down. I'll be sure to keep in touch with you and the rest of the Order as well."

"See that you do, Hermione. And please, call me Minerva," she spoke, pulling the younger girl into her arms. "Please be safe, dear."

"I will, I promise." They pulled back from their embrace and disapparated, both going their separate ways. The wavy-haired brunette appeared outside of her uncle's building and took a deep breath before entering and moving up the stairs. When she reached the right apartment, she knocked and waited for door to swing open. It wasn't too long before she was met with a pair of hazel eyes.

"Oh, Mia, what's happened to you?" The man inquired softly taking in the split lip, bruised face, and deep cut on his niece's face.

"Hey, Will," she responded, hugging the man.

"Young lady, I do believe you failed to mention your current state to me over the phone."

"Oops?" She replied with a shrug. "I didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd overreact and rush over to London. Relax. I can fix my face up with a bit of magic. I'm fine, ok?"

"I don't believe you, but I'll let it slide for now." He paused and met his niece's eyes. "I really missed you. You don't know how happy I am to see you. I just wish the circumstances were better."

"I know. I missed you too. I'm sorry I haven't visited in a while. Things have been absolutely mental in the wizarding world."

"I can tell."

"Well, I must say that this place looks a lot more like you ever since you left the bitch."

"I agree," he chuckled. "I fixed up her old craft room into a spare bedroom, so feel free to decorate it however you want. Oh, I almost forget!" He yelled out, slapping his hand against his forehead. "Do you want to attend the school I teach at?" He asked with a smile, noticing the way the girl's eyes lit up.

"Of course! I'd love to go back to school, especially a muggle one! What year would I be?"

"A junior. That's the second to last year of schooling here before college. You'll be a little older than your classmates, but I figured you'd like to get all caught up with what you missed while you were out on the run last year," Will informed her uncertainly.

"So I get two more years of school before university?" He nodded. "Wicked," she grinned. "When do I start?"

"Monday. Oh, I have a great group of kids for you to meet. They are a very diverse group, but I have a feeling you'll get along great."

"Ok, ok, Will!" Hermione laughed, trying to calm down her overexcited uncle. The two caught up for a few hours before turning in for the night. Unfortunately, Will was woken up a little while later by an ear-piercing scream. He sighed sadly as he rushed to comfort his niece, praying that his glee kids would be able to help her through this terrible time.


	3. Chapter 3

**~Chapter 3~**

_**Previously: **__"Ok, ok, Will!" Hermione laughed, trying to calm down her overexcited uncle. The two caught up for a few hours before turning in for the night. Unfortunately, Will was woken up a little while later by an ear-piercing scream. He sighed sadly as he rushed to comfort his niece, praying that his glee kids would be able to help her through this terrible time._

The next morning, Will awoke to the smell of bacon and eggs. As he neared the kitchen, he heard Hermione singing softly and grinned slightly, amazed at how talented his niece was.

"Hey, Mia," he called out softly, not wanting to startle the teenager.

"Oh, hey, Will, you're out of coffee," she informed him with a small frown. He noticed, much to his relief, that her face had healed quite significantly overnight.

"We can go to the store later tonight, but for right now, we could go to the coffee shop a couple blocks away," the curly-haired man suggested, helping himself to a piece of bacon.

"Oh, you stay here. I'll go. It's about time I saw what Lima, Ohio has to offer," she teased.

"Hey! This town isn't so bad!"

"You're forgetting that I'm from London, my dear William," she replied sarcastically, dodging a piece of bacon aimed at her head. "Be back in a few!" She called out over her shoulder as the man shook his head with a smile.

A few minutes later, Hermione found herself staring at a street sign, confusion clearly written all over her face. She began muttering to herself about how only she would end up getting lost in Lima, Ohio of all places, unaware of the figure slipping up behind her.

"Need some help?" A kind male's voice sounded out, causing the brunette to spin around quickly. She looked the boy up and down, deeming him harmless enough, before opening her mouth to reply.

"Oh, um, yes, I'm trying to find a coffee shop," she told him, noticing that he was wearing what looked to be a navy blue school sweatshirt with red lettering.

"Oh, wow, you're definitely not from around here, are you?" The stranger replied with a friendly smile.

"Nope, definitely not," the brown-eyed girl answered with a laugh. "I just moved here from London to live with my uncle."

"That's awesome! Well, I can show you the way to the Lima Bean. I was headed there myself."

"Thank you so much!"

"It's not a problem—" He trailed off, sticking out his hand.

"Hermione. Hermione Granger."

"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Hermione Granger. My name is Blaine Anderson." Hermione grinned and shook his hand before the two made their way to the coffee shop.

After they ordered, Blaine turned to look at his female companion whose attention was blatantly devoted to the curvy barista making their drinks. He beamed before clearing his throat.

"Oh! Um, sorry about that," she stammered, trying to look like she wasn't clearly checking out the woman in front of them.

"It's fine," he laughed good-naturedly, before leaning over to her ear. "We play for the same team."

"I knew it!" She blurted out, turning a light shade of pink. "Sorry, I just pride myself on my excellent gaydar." She threw a flirtatious wink at the barista before grabbing their drinks and moving over to a table. "So, speaking of gays, how is this town with them?"

"They're not the most accepting people out there," Blaine told her with a frown. "There are some people here though that are really cool with it. The guys at my school, for example, are awesome about it."

"Oh, really? Where do you go to school?"

"Dalton Academy. Know where you're going yet?"

"Yeah, my uncle teaches at McKinley, so."

"Oh god, good luck with that," he told her sympathetically.

"Is it that bad?"

"That's what I've heard." He paused. "They do something there called slushy facials, so watch out for that."

"That's just bloody fantastic," Hermione groaned and took a sip of her cappuccino. "So, what do you for fun around here?"

"Well, I'm a part of this a capella group at my school called the Warblers," the dark-haired boy replied sheepishly.

"Really? That sounds brilliant. I wish I could do something like that."

"You sing?"

"Yeah, I'm a pretty good dancer as well. Oh, and I can play guitar, piano, and the drums," she murmured bashfully.

"If we weren't gay, I'd totally try to woo you," the Warbler informed her seriously.

"Is that so?" Hermione chuckled before looking at her watch. "Shit, I've got to go. Will's coffee is getting cold. Thanks for everything though, Blaine!"

"No problem. It was fun. We should definitely hang out again," he suggested with a grin.

"Yeah, for sure!"

"Awesome! Want me to pick you up after school on Monday?"

"That'd be great," she beamed. "Thanks again, Blaine." She walked over and gave him a quick hug before exiting the coffee shop. A few minutes later, she rushed into her new home and set down the cup before calling out to her panicking uncle. "I am so sorry! I met someone and we started talking and I just lost track of the time."

"Oh, thank god, you're alright," Will murmured, throwing his arms around her. "Whom did you meet?"

"This awesome guy named Blaine. He goes to Dalton Academy and he's really sweet. I'm hanging out with him after school on Monday if that's alright."

"Of course it is. Just let me know when you're about to leave the school. Oh, and we'll go get you a phone tomorrow."

"You're the best uncle ever!" She squealed, snuggling further into his warm embrace.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Happy National Coming Out Day! **

**Also, thanks so much for all of the feedback. It really means a lot! :)**

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><p><strong>~Chapter 4~<strong>

_**Previously: **"Oh, thank god, you're alright," Will murmured, throwing his arms around her. "Whom did you meet?"_

_"This awesome guy named Blaine. He goes to Dalton Academy and he's really sweet. I'm hanging out with him after school on Monday if that's alright."_

_"Of course it is. Just let me know when you're about to leave the school. Oh, and we'll go get you a phone tomorrow."_

_"You're the best uncle ever!" She squealed, snuggling further into his warm embrace._

The rest of the weekend flew by and even though Hermione woke up screaming every night, she could not help but smile as she got ready for her first day at McKinley High.

"You ready, Mia?" Will shouted from outside her room.

"Yeah, Will," she replied, swinging open the door.

"Wow, you look great, sweetheart," the curly-haired man informed her happily. "When did you become such a beautiful young woman?"

"Oh, hush, Will," the teenage girl responded bashfully before grabbing his hand and dragging him out of the apartment.

They rode to school obnoxiously singing along to the radio and laughing at their silliness. When they pulled into the parking lot, however, Hermione instantly fell quiet.

"You can do this, hon. I know you can."

"I don't know, Will…"

"Hermione, you are the most incredible person I know. Everyone will adore you."

"Yeah, yeah," she mumbled sardonically. "I guess we have to go get this show on the road," she groaned as her uncle led her to the principal's office. Once there, she was introduced to Principal Figgins who welcomed her warmly and gave her the schedule he and Will had arranged for her.

"I'm taking one of your Spanish classes?" Hermione asked disbelievingly as they exited the office.

"Well, yeah, I need to keep an eye on you somehow."

"But Will!"

"No buts, Mia," he teased. "See you in class!" He called out over his shoulder. She sighed and headed to her first period class when she heard a loud crash resonating throughout the hallway. She turned the corner and found a very well-dressed boy shoved up against a set of lockers by what she assumed was some sort of athlete. As she neared the two, she heard the word "fag" spat from the Neanderthal.

"Hey, asshole!" She yelled out, causing both boys to whip around. "Leave him alone, you bloody wanker." The larger boy pushed the other one again before he stormed over to her.

"Who the hell are you?" He growled out threateningly.

"That's none of your damn business. Now walk away before I make you cry," she muttered dangerously, stepping closer to him.

"Whatever, bitch. This isn't over," he spat before walking away. After he vanished into a nearby classroom, Hermione hustled over to the boy who looked at her in awe.

"Are you ok?" She inquired softly.

"Uh, yeah. Thanks for helping me out. What you just did was simply amazing."

"Oh, um, it was nothing. I know how it feels to be bullied, so…"

"Still. You've officially become my hero for standing up to Karofsky and dressing that fabulously. The name's Kurt Hummel, by the way." Hermione smiled and shook his hand.

"Hermione Granger. I just moved here from London." Kurt beamed at this piece of information and the two immediately began to talk animatedly about fashion as they walked to their classes. "Oh, well, this is my stop. Guess I'll see you later, Kurt?"

"Absolutely, babe!" The brown-haired boy informed her with an enthusiastic smile as he headed to his class.

The rest of the day went by problem free until seconds before the final bell rang. Hermione was making her way to her uncle's office when she was cornered by three jocks carrying what she noticed were different colored slushies. She gulped and braced herself for the onslaught of the frozen beverages.

"Payback's a bitch," Karofsky smirked before he and his thick-headed companions hurled their slushies into the brunette's face and walked away snickering. Hermione sighed and continued on to Will. She walked into what appeared to be a choir room and immediately felt a dozen pairs of eyes on her.

"Oh my god, Mia, what happened?" Will cried out as he hurried over to his niece.

"Calm down, Will, I've had much worse," she laughed as she gently pushed Will back.

"Uh, Mr. Schue, who is this?" Rachel interjected rather rudely.

"Oh, guys, I'd like to introduce you to my niece, Hermione Granger." Everyone's jaws dropped.

"Mr. Schue, if she's your niece, why does she talk all funny?" Brittany inquired curiously.

"Well, she just moved here from London!" He told them with an exuberant smile, as the group began conversing in excited whispers. It was then that Hermione recognized someone.

"Kurt! You wanna help me get cleaned up?"

"Sure thing, darling!" He responded as he stood up and headed towards the girl. The two exited the room, chatting lightheartedly, neither noticing the two sets of eyes focused on the British teen.

Twenty minutes later, Kurt re-entered the room chuckling as Hermione followed closely behind wearing Kurt's old football practice jersey.

"Ok, Will, Blaine should be here soon, so I'll see you at home later tonight, alright?"

"Sounds good, sweetheart. Wait! Before you go, how 'bout you treat us to a song?" The brown-eyed girl sighed and ran her hand through her damp hair.

"Will, you know I don't do that anymore." He nodded sadly and kissed her forehead before she turned around and walked out the door.

"Whoa, she's smokin'."

"Puck, that's my niece you're talking about."

"Sorry, Mr. Schue, but I think everyone in this room would agree with me on the hotness of your British niece," he replied defensively as everyone eagerly began to nod their heads in agreement.

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><p>Santana Lopez was casually talking to Quinn and Brittany when an unfamiliar brunette who was covered in slushies walked through the door. She looked her up and down and couldn't help but smirk. This girl, though covered in slushies, was absolutely stunning. She was torn out of her thoughts when Mr. Schue introduced the girl as his niece.<p>

"Mr. Schue, if she's your niece, why does she talk all funny?" The Latina raised one of her eyebrows, wondering how the girl talked to sound so funny to the naïve Cheerio. As soon as the glee teacher said "London", she joined the rest of the group in whispering about the new girl

"She's so hot. I wonder if she'll let me make out with her."

"Yeah, right, Brit. She's totally gonna wanna get all up on the Puckasaurus first."

"I hope she can't sing." Santana scoffed. Leave it to the dwarf to bring up music. As she listened to everyone else's comments, she noticed that Quinn hadn't said anything and was simply staring at the British girl as she and Kurt walked out of the choir room. Santana, too, focused on the wavy-haired brunette and rolled her eyes. She was just a girl, there was nothing special about her.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Ok, first off, I changed my name to match my tumblr url. Secondly, there is a song in this chapter, so the lines that are "**_like this_**"** **are sung by Blaine, the lines that are "like this" are sung by Hermione, and the lines that are "_like this_" are sung by both Hermione and Blaine. And thirdly, here are my replies to the lovely reviews I've received: **

**MadMabry: Thanks! I'll hopefully be able to update every couple of days and if I don't, feel free to throw rotten fruit and vegetables at me!**

**disguisedrobot: Haha, thank you! And, if I remember correctly, the chapters _do_ get longer as the story progresses (and if they don't, I'll rework them to make them longer :P).**

**xOrax: Thanks, darlin'! I've read your Glee story and I love it so far! :)**

**And a special thanks to everyone for the 'favorites' and 'alerts'!**

**Ok, ok, well, on with the story! Enjoy! :)**

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><p><strong>~Chapter 5~<strong>

_**Previously:**__ "I hope she can't sing." Santana scoffed. Leave it to the dwarf to bring up music. As she listened to everyone else's comments, she noticed that Quinn hadn't said anything and was simply staring at the British girl as she and Kurt walked out of the choir room. Santana, too, focused on the wavy-haired brunette and rolled her eyes. She was just a girl, there was nothing special about her._

Hermione walked outside and smiled when she saw Blaine standing outside of his car. He waved enthusiastically as she approached him before giving the slightly taller girl a hug.

"Hey there," he said cheerfully, looking her over. "Um, Hermione, why is your hair damp and why are you wearing a football jersey?"

"Oh, well, I got three of those—what did you call them?—slushy facials?" When he nodded, she explained. "I defended this guy today who was getting picked on for being gay and this was my punishment."

"Wow, how very noble of you," he teased. "Well, c'mon then, let's get out of here." They hopped into his car and drove off. After a few moments of Blaine dancing to Katy Perry's latest number, Hermione turned the radio down, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"Sooo, where to?" She inquired suspiciously.

"It was going to be a surprise, buuuut I'm taking you back to my school so you can watch my a capella group perform and then I thought we'd go grab a bite to eat," he told her shyly. Hermione beamed and grabbed his hand.

"That sounds great, Blaine," she informed him truthfully. "I'd love to see you perform!"

"Awesome! I had to pull some serious strings to get them to allow a girl in to see us rehearse, but it'll be totally worth it."

"I'm sure it will be," she laughed. "Oh! I saw McKinley's glee club today. I wish I could join…"

"Why don't you?"

"I haven't performed in front of anyone in a couple years. I guess I stopped when things got really bad in London."

"Huh? The only things I heard about what was going on in London were a string of terrorist attacks and kidnappings. Were you a victim of that?" He asked her softly. She sighed and met his concerned gaze.

"Several people I knew were, yes. I'd rather not get into it now, but eventually, I promise you, I will. It's just a little hard to talk about."

"It's ok. I dealt with some stuff at my old school that's hard to talk about, so I completely understand. I just want you to know that I'm always here if you ever need someone to talk to."

"Thanks, Blaine. The same goes for you too, you know," she smiled. "Oh, wow, is _this_ your school?"

"Yep! Welcome to Dalton Academy, Hermione!"

"It's beautiful," she whispered in awe. "It reminds me a lot of my old boarding school actually."

"Ah, so you are familiar with the whole uniform thing. I wondered why you didn't say anything about it," he chuckled.

"Oh, yes. Although, I must say that our uniforms were so much better."

"Uh huh. Well, you'll have to show me some time," he informed her playfully. The girl with brown eyes nodded and climbed out of the car, following Blaine closely.

"If you weren't gay, Mr. Anderson, I'd think you were hitting on me," the British girl suggested scandalously, causing the boy to laugh and ruffle her hair.

As they entered a large room, Hermione came face-to-face with a group of young men dressed exactly like her friend. She moved behind Blaine until he pushed her in front of him.

"Guys, this is Hermione Granger. Hermione, meet the Warblers." They greeted the young woman warmly as she replied with a friendly smile and wave of her own. "Alright, Hermione, take a seat," he told her as he stood in front of the group. After a few of the Warblers sang the introductory notes, Blaine began the lyrics.

"_Now as the summer fades, I let you slip away.  
>You say I'm not your type, but I can make you sway.<br>It makes you burn to learn, you're not the only one.  
>I'd let you be if you put down your blazing gun.<em>"

Blaine was about to continue, but Hermione stood up warily and joined in.

"**Now you've gone somewhere else, far away.  
>I don't know if I will find you.<br>But you feel my breath, on your neck,  
>Can't believe I'm right behind you.<strong>"

After she sang the first verse, she moved to sit back down, but everyone in the group looked at her in shock and motioned for her to continue singing for the rest of the performance.

"'_**Cause you keep me coming back for more,  
>And I feel a little better than I did before.<strong>_"

"**And if I never see your face again, I don't mind.**"

"'_**Cause we got so much further than I thought we'd get tonight.**_"

"**Sometimes you move so well, it's hard not to give in.**"

"_I'm lost, I can't tell where you end and I begin."_

The two friends couldn't help but smirk at the lines they were singing to each other as they danced around the room.

"**It makes you burn to learn I'm with another man.**"

"_I wonder if he's half the lover that I am.  
>Now you've gone somewhere else, far away.<br>I don't know if I will find you.  
><em>_But you feel my breath, on your neck,  
><em>_Can't believe I'm right behind you._"

"'_**Cause you keep me coming back for more,  
>And I feel a little better than I did before.<strong>_"

"**If I never see your face again, I don't mind.**"

"'_**Cause we got much further than I thought we'd get tonight.**_"

"_Baby, baby, please believe me.  
>Find it in your heart to reach me.<br>Promise not to leave me behind._"

Blaine got down on his knees and clasped his hands together as he finished up the verse. Hermione rolled her eyes in response before pulling him up and running her fingers through his hair as she began singing the next part.

"**Take me down, but take it easy.  
>Make me think, but don't deceive me.<br>Torture me by taking your time.  
>'Cause you keep me coming back for more,<br>And I feel a little better than I did before.**"

"_**If I never see your face again, I don't mind.  
>'Cause we got much further than I thought we'd get tonight.<strong>_"

As they finished, the entire group surrounded Hermione and patted her on the back.

"That was amazing, Hermione!" Blaine praised, causing the girl to blush.

"It was nothing. You guys are wonderful. Sorry for jumping in there, but I couldn't resist. I love that song way too much," she laughed, throwing an arm around her dark-haired friend.

"It's totally cool," one of the young men informed her. "My name's Wes and I'm sure all of us would love to sing with you again." The rest of the Warblers nodded enthusiastically to prove their point.

"Wicked," she replied with an animated smile.

"Alright, guys, well, I owe this lovely lady some dinner. So, I'll see you all tomorrow!" The performers waved goodbye to the other two and went back to rehearsing.

"You ok?" Blaine asked her as they drove to a Mexican restaurant.

"Yeah, I don't know how to feel right now though," Hermione chuckled uncomfortably.

"You should be happy," he suggested, grabbing her hand. "You looked so carefree when you were performing. I'm not saying you should join the New Directions, but don't force yourself to stop doing what you clearly love to do."

"I'm really glad I met you, Blaine Anderson," she told him honestly, squeezing his hand. "You truly are remarkable." The boy turned a light shade of pink as he pulled into the restaurant and helped Hermione get out of the car.

"Well, from what I've seen so far, I'm nothing compared to you, Hermione Granger."

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: I hope you enjoyed it. Please don't be shy! I love any feedback y'all can offer!**

**Song is "If I Never See Your Face Again" by Maroon 5, feat. Rihanna.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: So I was going to upload this several hours ago, but I've kinda been watching Glee all day... Don't judge me!**

**Anyways, a special thanks to MadMabry and LauraFlowi for their awesome feedback! :)**

**P.S. I'll try to upload another chapter when my roommates commandeer the television in a few hours.**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 6~<strong>

_**Previously: **__"I'm really glad I met you, Blaine Anderson," she told him honestly, squeezing his hand. "You truly are remarkable." The boy turned a light shade of pink as he pulled into the restaurant and helped Hermione get out of the car._

_"Well, from what I've seen so far, I'm nothing compared to you, Hermione Granger."_

The next day, Hermione walked into the school confidently, talking to Kurt and Mercedes about London. Everything was going well until they were nearing their lockers.

"Hey, homo!" Karofsky shouted before throwing Kurt aside.

"What the hell is your problem?" Hermione screamed at him, grabbing his arm and dragging him away from her frightened friend.

"Nothing, just putting this fag in his place. Why do you even care? Are you a dyke or something?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am," she spat, stepping closer to the jock, who merely sneered before roughly shoving Hermione face first into the lockers. Puck, who had been walking by, ran up to his fellow football player and grabbed him by the front of his shirt.

"Dude, you do not do that to a girl."

"She's no girl, Puckerman. She's a dirty little dyke!" He yelled, causing everyone to look at the girl who now had her arms wrapped around her.

"Get the fuck outta here, Karofsky, before I beat the shit outta you!" Puck growled, pushing the boy away. The bully stalked off, mumbling dangerously to himself, and glaring at anyone who got in his way.

"What an ass…" Hermione choked out as she collapsed to the ground.

"Girl, you're bleeding!" Mercedes shrieked.

"Oh, bloody hell…"

"Shit. C'mon, babe, I'm taking you to the nurse," Puck spoke quickly as he picked the girl up. He rushed to the nurse's office and put her down on the bed before beginning his frantic search for Mr. Schue.

Once he disappeared from her sight, Hermione took off her shirt and groaned when she saw that the gashes from the _Sectumsempra_ curse had opened up and were now bleeding through the bandages.

"What the hell?" A soft voice called out, causing the brunette to jump and whip her head up.

"Shit. Um, please don't tell anyone about this," she begged, taking time to really look at the other girl. "She's gorgeous," she thought to herself.

"I'll think about it," the blonde drawled out, inspecting her nails.

"Thanks, I guess," Hermione replied uncertainly. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I got into a fight with another cheerleader after I told our coach about her boob job," she replied, rolling her eyes.

"Didn't I see you in the choir room yesterday?"

"Yes," she answered with a sigh. "The name's Quinn Fabray."

"Pleasure to meet you," Hermione told her with a smile. "Oh! You're bleeding. Let me clean that cut up above your eye." She walked over to the sink to get a damp cloth before approaching the blonde. As the British girl gently wiped away the blood, Quinn's heart began to flutter.

"Thanks," she murmured taking a step back from the brown-eyed girl. "You're the one who needs help though," she spoke with a small smile.

"Eh, I'm fine," Hermione shrugged. "Can you hand me that gauze though?" Quinn nodded and handed the bandages over to the other girl.

"How did that happen?" Quinn finally asked as she watched the brunette take off the old bandages.

"Um…"

"Mia, are you alright?" Will cried out as he ran into the small office with Puck. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief at her uncle's impeccable timing.

"Yeah, Will, of course I am. I've dealt with a lot worse than a homophobic gorilla," she told him with an uncomfortable chuckle, wrapping the gauze around her torso.

"There she goes again saying that whole 'I've had a lot worse' thing again," Quinn thought to herself as Hermione threw on the t-shirt Puck had brought her.

"Thanks," she spoke with a smile aimed at the boy with hazel eyes.

"No prob, babe," he responded with a smile of his own, suddenly feeling protective of the girl.

"Well, if you're all done gawking at me, I'd like to get out of here," Hermione mumbled before quickly hugging her uncle. The remaining three watched her walk out of the room, two of whom were slightly confused, especially by their teacher's next comment.

"Thanks for your help, guys. She may not show it, but she really needs some people to lean on right now."

"Yeah, of course, Mr. Schue," Quinn told him with a rare, genuine smile.

As soon as Hermione exited the nurse's office, she began aimlessly walking around the school until she stumbled into the auditorium. She cautiously walked down to the stage where she found an acoustic guitar and a stool. She looked around and was relieved that no one was in sight. She picked up the guitar and began strumming the intro before opening her mouth to sing.

* * *

><p>Santana was angrily walking past the auditorium when she heard a voice unfamiliar to her. She silently crept onto the stage and was shocked to see Mr. Schue's niece sitting on a wooden stool, playing a guitar, and singing. She sat down in the row closest to the stage and watched the beautiful scene unfold in front of her.<p>

"**There's no one in town I know****  
><strong>**You gave us some place to go.****  
><strong>**I never said thank you for that.****  
><strong>**I thought I might get one more chance.****  
><strong>**What would you think of me now,****  
><strong>**so lucky, so strong, so proud?****  
><strong>**I never said thank you for that,****  
><strong>**now I'll never have a chance.**"

As the brunette sang, a few tears trickled down her face.

"**May angels lead you in.****  
><strong>**Hear you me my friends.****  
><strong>**On sleepless roads the sleepless go.****  
><strong>**May angels lead you in.****  
><strong>**So what would you think of me now,****  
><strong>**so lucky, so strong, so proud?****  
><strong>**I never said thank you for that,****  
><strong>**now I'll never have a chance.****  
><strong>**May angels lead you in.****  
><strong>**Hear you me my friends.****  
><strong>**On sleepless roads the sleepless go.****  
><strong>**May angels lead you in.**"

Santana found herself struggling to maintain her composure as she listened to the pain in the British girl's voice.

"**May angels lead you in.****  
><strong>**May angels lead you in.****  
><strong>**And if you were with me tonight,****  
><strong>**I'd sing to you just one more time.****  
><strong>**A song for a heart so big,****  
><strong>**god wouldn't let it live.****  
><strong>**May angels lead you in.****  
><strong>**Hear you me my friends.****  
><strong>**On sleepless roads the sleepless go.****  
><strong>**May angels lead you in.****  
><strong>**May angels lead you in.****  
><strong>**Hear you me my friends.****  
><strong>**On sleepless roads the sleepless go.****  
><strong>**May angels lead you in.****  
><strong>**May angels lead you in.**"

"Well, well, well, I'm impressed, Granger," the Latina spoke, trying to hide her emotions as she climbed up onto the stage. Hermione spun around and quickly wiped away a few tears.

"Oh, um, I didn't know anyone was here."

"You've got a nice set of pipes. You should really try out for glee."

"Uh, why?"

"Because you're the only one who could knock Berry down a notch," she responded bluntly.

"And if I don't?" Hermione retorted defiantly.

"I'll just keep tormenting you til you do."

"Ugh, fine. I'll prepare something for tomorrow. Just don't tell anyone yet." Santana smirked triumphantly while looking the girl over before heading out of the auditorium, leaving behind a puzzled Hermione. "What the hell just happened?" She mused aloud, running a hand through her hair.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry for not updating yesterday. My insomnia has finally caught up with me and it's left me in a rather catatonic state (aka I'm pretty much a zombie right now). **

**Thank you, LauraFlowi, DeanCastielSam, and MadMabry, for your wonderful feedback yet again! It makes me smile.**

**Um, I think that's all I have to say right now. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 7~<strong>

_**Previously: **__"You've got a nice set of pipes. You should really try out for glee."_

_"Uh, why?"_

_"Because you're the only one who could knock Berry down a notch," she responded bluntly._

_"And if I don't?" Hermione retorted defiantly._

_"I'll just keep tormenting you til you do."_

_"Ugh, fine. I'll prepare something for tomorrow. Just don't tell anyone yet." Santana smirked triumphantly while looking the girl over before heading out of the auditorium, leaving behind a puzzled Hermione. "What the hell just happened?" She mused aloud, running a hand through her hair._

That night, while Will and Hermione were cooking dinner, the hazel-eyed man turned to focus on his niece.

"Mia, why didn't you tell me about those cuts all over your torso?" He asked her softly after a few moments.

"I didn't want you to worry," she replied with a sigh. "It's nothing I can't handle. They will heal soon enough especially with the help of some good ol' essence of dittany."

"Why won't you let me in?" He inquired dejectedly.

"I guess I have this idiotic notion in my head that if I don't talk about it, it doesn't exist," the brown-eyed girl murmured with a grimace.

"Sweetheart…"

"Don't, Will. I want to talk to you about everything I've been through, but I just can't yet. It's too hard," she choked out. Will looked at her sadly and wrapped his arms around her.

"Alright, I understand. Will you eventually tell me what your nightmares are about?" She nodded her head stiffly and backed away from his embrace before resuming her food preparations. As she began cutting up some vegetables, she tried her hardest to avoid the intense gaze of her uncle.

The next afternoon at glee, the group was waiting for Mr. Schue, who was running late as usual. When he finally walked in, a large grin was apparent on his face.

"Ok, guys, we have a real treat in store for us today. Someone is going to audition and hopefully become one of our new members!" The students began whispering excitedly about the new recruitment, unaware of Santana's victorious grin.

In the hallway, Hermione took a deep breath as she heard Will introduce her. She walked in and everyone instantly fell silent at how stunning she looked. She grabbed the microphone stand in the middle of the room.

"Alright, boys, hit it," she called out to the band as an electric guitar riff rang out.

"**You got me down on the floor,****  
><strong>**So what'd you bring me down here for?****  
><strong>**You got me down on the floor,****  
><strong>**So what'd you bring me down here for?"**

After she finished the first verse, she grabbed the microphone and began dancing around it provocatively causing her audience to start catcalling and whistling.

"**If I was a man, I'd make my move.****  
><strong>**If I was a blade, I'd shave you smooth.****  
><strong>**If I was a judge, I'd break the law.****  
><strong>**And if I was from Paris,****  
><strong>**If I was from Paris,****  
><strong>**I would say,****  
><strong>**'Oooh la la la la lala.'"**

She moved in front of Rachel and winked at her causing the diva to blush and bury her face into Finn's shoulder.

"**You got me up on your swing,****  
><strong>**So when you gonna shake that thing?****  
><strong>**You got me up on your swing,****  
><strong>**So when you gonna shake that thing?**

"**If I was a man, I'd make my move.****  
><strong>**If I was a blade, I'd shave you smooth.****  
><strong>**If I was a judge, I'd break the law.****  
><strong>**And if I was from Paris,****  
><strong>**If I was from Paris,****  
><strong>**I would say,****  
><strong>**'Oooh la la la la la la.'"**

As she sang out the last note, the class stared at her in awe before erupting in thunderous applause.

"Wow, Mia, that was great!" Mr. Schue praised her. "Talk about a complete contrast from everything I've ever heard you do." Hermione merely shrugged and waited for her peers to comment.

"Girl, that was hot!" Kurt squealed as everybody else joined in.

"Are the rumors true?" Rachel screamed out over her classmate's voices. "Are you gay?" The group collectively rolled their eyes.

"Uh, yeah, I am," the British teen replied nonchalantly. "Why? You interested?" She questioned seductively, earning several chuckles from her audience.

"Well, thank you, Berry, for that completely irrelevant topic," Santana spoke sarcastically as Rachel huffed and crossed her arms. "By the way, you all can thank me later since I was the one who convinced her to join with my impressive seduction ski—"

"Let's just get the voting over with!" The head cheerleader interrupted. "Those in favor of Hermione joining glee, raise your hand," Quinn suggested sensibly. Everyone, including a reluctant Rachel, did so.

"Alright, Mia, looks like you're in," Mr. Schue told her delightedly as the girl broke out in an enormous smile. "Ok, guys, why don't you go around and introduce yourselves, so Hermione can learn all of your names. Who wants to start?" Brittany raised her hand.

"I'm Brittany Pierce, I'm a Cheerio, and I think you're really hot," the blonde stated seriously, causing the British teen to blush.

"We've already met, but I'm Santana Lopez," the Latina spoke, throwing a sultry look at the wavy-haired brunette.

"The name's Puck. Let me know if Karofsky gives you a hard time again and I'll totally beat his ass," he told her flexing his muscles. Hermione couldn't help but laugh, but nodded her thanks nonetheless.

"I'm Rachel Berry, the lead female vocalist. That means that I get the majority of the solos. I'm sure you will love swaying in the back while I sing in front of you. If you need any help learning the proper form, I'd be more than happy to help you."

"Thank you, Rachel, for the verbosity of that introduction," the British girl told her with a roll of her eyes, triggering another round of laughter from her peers.

"I'm Finn Hudson. Sorry about Rachel. She's a controllist…"

"No, I'm controlling. Controllist isn't a word!"

"Point proven. Thank you, Finn. I'm Artie Abrams, singer, rapper, and pro-wheelchair dancer."

"You already know me, but I'm Kurt Hummel. Future fashion designer and Broadway star."

"You know me as well, girl, but I'm Mercedes Jones. I'm one hell of a sassy diva, but I have manners unlike Rachel over there."

"I'm Tina Cohen-Chang and your outfit rocks."

"I'm Mike Chang. No, we're not related. I don't think I can really sing, but I'm a pretty good dancer."

"Wicked. We'll have to have a dance-off at some point," she teased.

"Quinn Fabray. Head cheerleader. We met yesterday as well." Hermione smiled at her before addressing the room as a whole.

"It's very nice to meet all of you. As you all know, I'm Hermione Granger. I went to a boarding school outside of Scotland. When I wasn't at school, I was living in London. I think that's about it. Anything you have to say, Will?"

"Well, all I have to say is that I think this is going to be a great year!" He beamed, thrilled that his kids were being so accepting of his niece. "Now as all of you know, Nationals is in New York City this year. While we have enough members to compete, it'd be great to recruit a few more people." He paused and let the kids absorb this new information. "I think we should do a performance of _Empire State of Mind_ in the quad during lunch tomorrow."

"But Mr. Schue, everyone hates us!" Finn yelled out as several of the other performers joined in.

"Guys! Guys!" The choir director shouted, trying to quiet down his students.

"Oi! Will you all shut up?" Hermione screamed in her former prefect tone. "I know I'm new here, but if you let them get to you, they're winning. I say we go out there, perform our asses off, and show them that nothing they do is going to stop us from doing what we love." The room fell silent and stared at her, unsure how they were supposed to respond.

"Hermione's right, guys," Quinn finally said, breaking the silence at last. "Let's just go out there and do this. What's the worst that could happen?"

"We could all get slushied. Numerous times."

"Oh, shut it, Berry," Santana growled before glancing at the fidgeting British girl. "I mean, Quinn, Brittany, and I are some of the hottest pieces of ass at this school. And now we've got the sexy British chick. They'll love us. Can we get on with the choreography now? I'm bored."

"Um, thanks, Santana and Quinn. I don't know what's caused you guys to become so vocal about what's best for the glee club, but I like it," Will spoke up encouragingly.

"Yeah, thanks for the support, you two," Hermione informed them with a dazzling smile, causing both cheerleaders to sit up slightly straighter and return her smile before glaring at each other when the brown-eyed girl turned to talk to Kurt.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Oops. I forgot to put the name of the song from the last chapter. In case you were wondering, it was "Hear You Me" by Jimmy Eat World.**

**The song in this chapter was "Paris (Ooh La La)" by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I'm not really sure how I feel about this chapter, but I hope y'all enjoy it regardless!**

**DeanCastielSam: Haha, thanks! I'm glad you liked it :)**

**LauraFlowi: Thank you! Yes, Rachel has found some competition. I wonder how she'll take it, hmm. And I couldn't resist some good ol' Quinn/Santana conflict, haha.**

**And thank you to everyone who is adding this story to their favorites/alerts. You guys are awesome!**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 8~<strong>

_**Previously: **"Um, thanks, Santana and Quinn. I don't know what's caused you guys to become so vocal about what's best for the glee club, but I like it," Will spoke up encouragingly._

_"Yeah, thanks for the support, you two," Hermione informed them with a dazzling smile, causing both cheerleaders to sit up slightly straighter and return her smile before glaring at each other when the brown-eyed girl turned to talk to Kurt._

"Alright, who can tell me who Christopher Cross is?" The choir director asked the group.

"He discovered America!" Brittany declared smartly, causing Hermione to smile and put her hand on the blonde dancer's shoulder.

"Close," Will replied reassuringly. "He did write an iconic chart topper called 'Sailing'."

"I have a bad feeling about this lesson," Kurt murmured to Hermione who nodded and sighed at her uncle's song choice for the week. She had been a member of glee for about three weeks and was loving every bit of it, except for Rachel's arrogance and condescending nature towards everyone around her.

"Some people think of the term 'easy listening' as a bad thing, but I'm gonna let this music speak for itself. You guys love Lady Gaga and The Rolling Stones and you guys are really good at putting it all out there, but really good music can be controlled and restrained. It doesn't have to attack an audience. It can let them come to you," he informed the students as he passed out the sheet music.

"Mr. Schue, if I may, I think I speak for all of us when I say that it's not that we don't love the idea of spending a week on this silky smooth adult contemporary. It's just that, as teens, this isn't the easiest music for us to relate to. However, there is a burgeoning Facebook campaign that has swelled to over five members. The art in demand, that this week at the fall homecoming assembly, the McKinley High School Glee Club perform a number by, wait for it, Ms. Britney Spears." Hermione winced as Kurt finished, knowing her uncle wasn't going to budge.

"Yo, Spears is fierce, yo," Artie called out as the rest of the group murmured excitedly.

"Sorry, no, no, no, I don't think she's a very good role model," Mr. Schue muttered with a roll of his eyes.

"But Mr. Schue, we kinda grew up with her," Rachel pointed out reasonably.

"She's literally why I decided to become a performer," gasped Tina.

"C'mon, Will, even I admire Britney for her contribution to pop music. She's an icon," the British girl told him straightforwardly.

"I don't want to do Britney," called out a quiet voice.

"Why no Britney, Brittany?" Kurt gasped, shocked that the Cheerio would say such a thing.

"Because my name is also Britney Spears."

"What?" The group collectively gasped.

"My middle name is Susan, my last name is Pierce that makes me Brittany S. Pierce. I've lived my entire life in Britney Spears' shadow. I will never be as talented or famous. I hope you'll all respect that I want glee club to remain a place where I, Brittany S. Pierce can escape the torment of Britney Spears."

"Well, there you have it, guys. It's been decided. No Britney, sorry."

"Thanks, Brit. Thanks a lot," growled the blue-eyed boy.

"Leave Brittany alone," Santana snapped as she and Hermione rubbed the blonde's back.

"Thanks for understanding, guys. It's been a hard road." As Will moved on to discuss Michael Bolton, Hermione joined the rest of her peers by zoning out.

The next afternoon at glee, Ms. Pillsbury's boyfriend, Carl Howell, was giving a lesson on proper dental hygiene.

"Can I just say that you are the hottest dentist I have ever seen?" Santana stated bluntly causing the British teen to roll her eyes.

"Yeah, I get that all the time," the dark-haired man replied with a bashful grin.

"No, like seriously, you can drill me whenever—"

"Santana!" The guidance counselor shrieked loudly, cutting her off.

"Before we chew, I would just like to alert Mr. Schue that there has been a new addition to the Britney Spears facebook campaign," he spoke matter-of-factly, shooting a glance at a guilty looking Hermione.

"Sorry, the answer's still no." The students groaned. "Capsules, guys!"

"Yes, chew away. Chew, chew!" Emma cheered on enthusiastically. Hermione popped the capsule in her mouth and began chewing along with the rest of the singers. After a few moments, everyone began showing off their lovely plaque-free smiles until a fearful yelp was made by Finn. The entire group turned around and gasped in horror at Rachel's incredibly blue teeth.

"Why so blue, Berry?" Hermione inquired with a smirk, earning a high five from Puck.

"I don't understand! I floss between classes!" The diva cried out, covering her mouth with one of her hands.

"Well, sometimes it's genetics," Carl told her sympathetically.

"I think I might be better at brushing and flossing if I could see myself in the mirror," Artie said with a shrug.

"I don't brush my teeth. I rinse my mouth out with soda after I eat. I was pretty sure Dr. Pepper was a dentist…" Brittany trailed off. Carl looked at her in shock before rushing over to further inspect the damage. After he set the blonde, Rachel, and the bespectacled boy up with appointments, he began going over some more tips on how to keep their smiles sparkling.

After glee was dismissed, Hermione waltzed up to her uncle as he was packing up his stuff.

"Wanna tell me what that was all about?" She inquired matter-of-factly.

"What are you talking about? Some of you guys really needed to learn about proper dental care," the choir director pointed out unconvincingly.

"Will…you were doing this for Emma, weren't you?"

"So what if I was?" He answered indignantly.

"Will, she's with Carl now. And she's happy. From what you've told me, he's really helping her." Will opened his mouth to speak, but opted for walking out to be alone for a while. The brunette sighed and went to go find Kurt and Mercedes.

* * *

><p>"Guys, we are not doing Britney Spears and that's that," the glee director spoke sternly the next day at rehearsal.<p>

"Mr. Schue, you are letting your own personal issues get in the way of something we are all telling you we really want to do. I mean, this club regularly pays tribute to pop culture and Britney Spears _is_ pop culture. To suggest otherwise is—"

"Kurt! I'm done talking about this!" The hazel-eyed man barked.

"Jeez, let loose a little, would you? Stop being so freakin' uptight all the time!"

"Kurt, I'll see you in the principal's office!" Mr. Schue ordered before following the boy out of the choir room.

"Relax, guys, I'll go talk to him," Hermione spoke up confidently before hurrying after her uncle. "Will, wait up! Please tell me why you snapped at Kurt like that."

"Back off, Mia. I'm not in the mood," he growled out uncharacteristically.

"I can see that," the teenager responded flatly. "What did Emma say to you that's got you so worked up this week?"

"She said I need to loosen up," the curly-haired man answered tersely.

"I agree with her. You're a great guy, Will, but sometimes you're way too afraid of change."

"Fine, Hermione, fine! You guys can do your damn Britney Spears number. I don't give a shit anymore!"

"Will, do _not_ take this out on me! I do not deserve this from you of all people. I'm staying somewhere else tonight to give you time to cool off," Hermione notified him with a glare. She retreated back down the hallway, leaving a guilt-stricken Will in her wake. Upon entering the choir room, the group fell silent, having heard the familial dispute. "Well, we can do Britney," she informed them with a small smile. No one said anything. "Um, well, I thought you all would be happy about this."

"We are. Kurt will definitely be thrilled," Mercedes finally spoke up, grinning at the older girl.

"Thank you for getting Mr. Schue to let us pay homage to me, Brittany S. Pierce."

"No prob, Brit," the wavy-haired brunette chuckled. "How 'bout we do 'Toxic'?" She suggested and was met with enthusiastic cheers before her fellow members began planning the choreography. Only a pair of hazel eyes noticed how distressed the British teen really was. While everyone was busy talking about the homecoming assembly, Quinn approached Hermione who was sitting in front of the piano, absentmindedly tapping the keys.

"We heard the whole thing, you know," the cheerleader murmured as she sat down next to the other girl.

"Yeah, I figured. You guys are really rather awful at acting oblivious," she chuckled uncomfortably, staring intently at the piano.

"I'm sure Mercedes' mom would be cool if you wanted to stay with us tonight." Hermione finally faced the girl sitting next to her and gave her a perplexed look. "It's a long story. Basically, I got pregnant last year and my parents kicked me out, so I ended up moving in with Mercedes and her family," the blonde enlightened her, sadness shining in her hazel eyes. "I guess it wasn't that long of a story actually." Hermione grinned and put an arm around the hazel-eyed girl's shoulders.

"Oh, wow, well you certainly look amazing for someone who was pregnant just a few months ago." The other girl blushed and muttered her thanks. Across the room, as the two continued to converse softly, jealousy flashed in a pair of deep brown eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: The new chapter will be uploaded tomorrow or the next day!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Well, this is a few days later than I said it was going to be. Oops. I'm so sorry! Tumblr, Fleetwood Mac, and this little thing called college sort of took over my life.**

**Thanks again to LauraFlowi and DeanCastielSam for reviewing. You guys are the headphones to my iPod.**

**For the song in this chapter, lines "**like this**" are sung by Brittany, lines "**_like this_**" are sung by Brittany and Rachel, lines "like this" are sung by Hermione, lines "**_like this_**" are sung by the female members of New Directions, and lines "_like this_" are sung by all the members of New Directions. (Hopefully that wasn't too confusing, ha.)**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 9~<strong>

_**Previously: **__"I'm sure Mercedes' mom would be cool if you wanted to stay with us tonight." Hermione finally faced the girl sitting next to her and gave her a perplexed look. "It's a long story. Basically, I got pregnant last year and my parents kicked me out, so I ended up moving in with Mercedes and her family," the blonde enlightened her, sadness shining in her hazel eyes. "I guess it wasn't that long of a story actually." Hermione grinned and put an arm around the hazel-eyed girl's shoulders._

_"Oh, wow, well you certainly look amazing for someone who was pregnant just a few months ago." The other girl blushed and muttered her thanks. Across the room, as the two continued to converse softly, jealousy flashed in a pair of deep brown eyes._

Later that night, Mercedes, Quinn, and Hermione were watching a rerun of _Jersey Shore _in the Jones' basement when the wavy-haired brunette got a text.

"I'm sorry, Mia," it read. The brown-eyed girl sighed and texted back.

"I know you are, Will. Are you feeling a bit better?"

"Yeah, I ended up talking to Emma about going off on you and she said a lot of things that made me think."

"That's good."

"Yeah. I even went as far as scheduling an appointment with Carl tomorrow…"

"Um, do you really think that's a good idea?" Hermione typed with a roll of her eyes.

"I don't know. Would you go with me though and make sure I don't say anything stupid?"

"Sure, I'll see you tomorrow at school."

"Thanks, Mia. Love you :)"

"Love you too. Night!"

"Everything ok?" Mercedes asked her as she put away her phone.

"Yeah, Will finally apologized." She paused and focused on the television screen. "Why do you people enjoy this show? It's so bloody awful," she groaned.

"That's why we watch it," Quinn informed her with a giggle.

"Well, I can't take this anymore. I feel like my brain is rotting. Mind if I turn in for the night?" She inquired politely.

"Yeah, go ahead, girl. You'll be sleeping on the futon in Quinn's room if that's ok."

"Yeah, that's fine. I'll see you in a few, Quinn," she told the blonde with a smile as she headed up the stairs. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell fast asleep and didn't even notice the Cheerio quietly entering the room several minutes later.

A couple hours after they had both fallen asleep, Hermione awoke with a scream. She bolted upright and was slightly embarrassed to find the hazel-eyed girl staring at her, concern etched all over her face.

"Are you ok?" She murmured, walking over to the girl. "You've been tossing and turning and…crying for a while now."

"Um, yeah, I'm fine. Sorry about that. I'll try to make sure it doesn't happen again."

"You know you can talk to me if you need to, right?" The blonde told her, wrapping her arms around the other girl.

"Yeah, I know," she answered with a sigh. "It's just hard for me to open up."

"I understand completely. It was so hard for me to let anyone in after I found out I was pregnant last year. You know who helped me?" Hermione shook her head. "The glee club. Every person in there would gladly help you in any way they can if you'd let them, even Berry. That's what is so remarkable about glee. Everyone accepts you for who you are."

"I'll remember that. Thanks, Q," she responded with a smile before kissing the other girl on the cheek.

"You're welcome," Quinn muttered with blush as she stood up and returned to her own bed. "Sweet dreams, Hermione."

"Goodnight, beautiful," the British girl spoke softly, falling to sleep with a smile on her face.

The next day after school, Will and Hermione were sitting in the dentist's office.

"Wow, Hermione. Your teeth are absolutely perfect," Carl told her with an impressed grin.

"Thanks! Both my parents were dentists, so."

"That's awesome," he told her genuinely as he walked over to the curly-haired man to inspect the damage. "Ooh, there's evidence of grinding. I'll have to set you up with a night guard." Hermione snorted.

"Oh hush, Mia," Will called out. "But that's fantastic, Carl. I'd be happy to do it." The choir director informed him sarcastically.

"Ok, can we stop this right now?"

"What?"

"It's clearly awkward for the two of us," the dentist pointed out before sitting down. "Alright, let's talk it out bro to bro." Hermione rolled her eyes and muttered something about how ridiculous men were. Ignoring the men's conversation, she pulled out her phone and sent one text to Blaine and another to the one and only Harry Potter.

"Well, hello there, gorgeous!" The text from Blaine read.

"Haha, heya, handsome. How are you?"

"Doing very well. Just finished up Warblers practice."

"Nice, nice. How's that going?" As she waited for Blaine's response, she received Harry's text.

"Mione! It's about time I heard from you! How are you doing?"

"I'm doing pretty well, Harry. I joined the show choir at my school :P"

"That's fantastic! You were always such a good performer :)" She continued to text the two boys until she felt someone poking her shoulder.

"Oh, hey, Will. We ready to go?" He nodded his head as he threw a piece of candy into his mouth. "Bye, Carl!" She yelled over her shoulder as she was pushed out of the office by her uncle. "You ok?"

"Yep, never better," he replied with a grin. "Ready to go home?"

* * *

><p>The rest of the week came to a close and before she knew it, Hermione was preparing herself for her first performance in front of a large crowd.<p>

"You'll do great, you know," a raspy voice called out from behind her.

"How do you manage to stay so calm?" She questioned the raven-haired cheerleader shakily.

"Coach Sylvester demands it. You have no reason to be nervous. You're an amazing performer." Santana paused, before glaring at her playfully. "Tell anyone I just complimented you and I'll go all Lima Heights on your ass."

"Yeah, yeah," Hermione replied with a smirk as she put on her hat and got into position as the rest of the New Directions moved onto the stage, with Brittany leading.

"Baby, can't you see?  
><span>I'm calling a guy like you<span>  
><span>Should wear a warning.<span>"

The blonde sang out before Rachel joined her on the last line.

"_You're dangerous, I'm lovin' it._"

Hermione took a deep breath and danced into center stage before she began her solo.

"**Too high, can't come down,****  
><strong>**Losing my head,****  
><strong>**Spinning 'round and 'round,****  
><strong>**Oh, do you feel me now?**"

A few seconds passed before the beat picked up and everybody started dancing as all the female members of the glee club began singing the chorus.

"_With a taste of your lips,__  
><em>_I'm on a ride.__  
><em>_You're toxic, I'm slipping under.__  
><em>_With a taste of poison paradise,__  
><em>_I'm addicted to you.__  
><em>_Don't you know that you're toxic?_"

The guys joined in and the whole group sang the last two lines together.

"_**And I love what you do.**__**  
><strong>__**Don't you know that you're toxic?**_"

"_**It's getting late**__**  
><strong>__**To give you up.**__**  
><strong>__**I took a sip from my devil's cup**__**  
><strong>__**Slowly, it's taking over me.**_"

Hermione, Rachel, and Brittany sang out, dancing seductively around each other.

"**Too high, can't come down.****  
><strong>**It's in the air****  
><strong>**And it's all around.****  
><strong>**Oh, can you feel me now?**"

"_**With a taste of your lips,**__**  
><strong>__**I'm on a ride.**__**  
><strong>__**You're toxic, I'm slipping under.**__**  
><strong>__**With a taste of poison paradise,**__**  
><strong>__**I'm addicted to you.**__**  
><strong>__**Don't you know that you're toxic?**__**  
><strong>__**And I love what you do.**__**  
><strong>__**Don't you know that you're toxic?**_

"_**Intoxicate me now,**__**  
><strong>__**With your lovin' now.**__**  
><strong>__**I think I'm ready now.**__**  
><strong>__**I think I'm ready now.**__**  
><strong>__**Intoxicate me now,**__**  
><strong>__**With your lovin' now.**__**  
><strong>__**I think I'm ready,  
>I think I'm ready now.<strong>_"

When they hit the last note, the crowd burst into applause and cheers seconds before the fire alarm rang out. The group stood up and watched all of their classmates stampede out the doors. Santana took this as her chance to sneak up on Hermione.

"I told you that you'd be great. I'm pretty sure I heard Jewfro yell that _he _wanted to have _your _babies and I know I heard plenty of other comments about the 'sexy British girl'. You almost singlehandedly caused a sex riot," she murmured huskily into the slightly taller girl's ear, looking her up and down. "And I can understand why," she told her with a wink before strutting away, leaving a flustered Hermione behind.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Song was "Toxic" by Britney Spears.**

**Next chapter will be the first part of "Grilled Cheesus" and some shit's about to go down. Uh oh!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Sorry, loves! I've been dealing with a migraine for a few days. Thanks again for all of the feedback. Y'all are awesome!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 10~<strong>

_**Previously: **__When they hit the last note, the crowd burst into applause and cheers seconds before the fire alarm rang out. The group stood up and watched all of their classmates stampede out the doors. Santana took this as her chance to sneak up on Hermione._

_"I told you that you'd be great. I'm pretty sure I heard Jewfro yell that__he__wanted to have__your__babies and I know I heard plenty of other comments about the 'sexy British girl'. You almost singlehandedly caused a sex riot," she murmured huskily into the slightly taller girl's ear, looking her up and down. "And I can understand why," she told her with a wink before strutting away, leaving a flustered Hermione behind._

Hermione was sitting at the piano in the choir room when Puck walked in. He crept up behind her and rested his arm on her shoulder.

"Do you mind?" Hermione chuckled before spinning around to look at him.

"Oh, sorry, didn't see you there," the football player responded with a smile. "How are you doing?"

"Alright, I guess. I kinda miss home, but I'm glad I'm here."

"Why did you decide to move here anyway?" He inquired curiously, sitting next to her on the piano bench.

"Um, crazy ex's?" She spoke quickly, avoiding his gaze.

"Ooh, do tell. I love me some juicy lesbian sex stories," Puck murmured while wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, earning a slap on his arm from the British girl.

"Oi. You boys are all the same. But, let's see. My first lesbian encounter happened with this seventeen year old from France when I was fourteen. That 'relationship' was purely physical."

"Man, talk about the best form of a relationship! What else?" He prodded with a grin.

"Well, I've been with probably ten different girls. And then there was that summer with the twins…" she trailed off as more glee members entered.

"Oh, come on! You can't leave it at that. I want to know your secrets, Granger," the brown-eyed boy moaned, causing several pairs of eyes to land on him. Hermione smiled at him innocently before moving to sit in the back row. The jock ignored everyone else and hurried to sit by her. They began quietly chatting about their sexual histories when Finn stood up and moved to the front of the room. As he talked about wanting to pay tribute to Jesus this week, Hermione and Puck rolled their eyes.

"Sorry, but if I wanted to sing about Jesus, I'd go to church. And the reason I don't go to church is because most churches don't think very much of gay people…or women…or science."

"I agree with Kurt," Hermione mumbled.

"I don't see anything wrong with getting a little church up in here," Mercedes said, ignoring Kurt and Hermione's comments.

"I agree. I had a really hard year and I turned to God a lot for help. I, for one, wouldn't mind saying thanks," the head cheerleader informed the group.

"Thanks for what? That it didn't come out a lizard baby?" Hermione snorted before she and the Latina made eye contact from across the room, sharing a smirk.

"Whenever I pray, I fall asleep," Brittany interjected.

"Well, guys, maybe our song selections don't have to be about Jesus. We could do songs about spirituality," Will suggested, trying to avoid any serious confrontations between his kids.

"You got a problem with Jesus?" Finn snapped at a less than enthusiastic Puck.

"No, I got no problem with the guy. I'm a total Jew for Jesus. What I don't like seeing is people using J money to crimp everybody else's style. 'Cause it seems to me that spirituality or whatever you call it, is about enjoying the life you've been given. I mean, I see God whenever I make out with a new chick."

"Here, here!" Hermione called out, earning a couple chuckles from her peers.

"Ok, ok, that doesn't make any sense. In fact, it's stupid," spat Rachel.

"Are you calling Mr. Billy Joel stupid? This time, I'd like to continue my streak of only doing songs by Jewish artists. Hit it." Hermione couldn't help but smile as Puck began singing _Only the Good Die Young_ before joining in herself.

A few hours later, Hermione was sitting in Will's office when Emma rushed in, a few tears trickling down her face. As soon as she informed them about what happened, Hermione instantly began to feel sick.

"Can I go tell him?" She whispered as both Will and Emma nodded. She walked to her friend's French class and informed the teacher that she was sent here by the guidance counselor to tell Kurt some terrible news. "Kurt, I need to talk to you." The boy in question looked up alarmed and followed her into the hallway.

"Is everything ok?"

"Kurt…it's your dad. He had a heart attack." The boy digested the information before his eyes welled up with tears. "Will, Emma, and I can take you to the hospital right now," she told him softly before grabbing his hand. Once they were at the hospital, Hermione had her arms around Kurt as he rocked back and forth waiting for some sort of news. After the doctor told them that the boy's father was in a coma, Will asked if they could see him. When they reached the room, Kurt rushed in as the other three followed closely behind.

"I need a minute."

"I don't think you should be alone, Kurt…" Emma murmured, moving closer to him.

"Guys, let him have this. We'll be right outside, love."

The next day at glee, everyone was coming up to Kurt and giving him their condolences; even Santana showed sympathy towards the poor boy. The room was silent until Finn rushed in.

"What the hell happened?" He cried out angrily.

"My dad's in the hospital…" Kurt stated numbly.

"I know. My mom just called me. I feel like I'm the last one to know!"

"Well, I'm sorry Finn. It didn't occur to me to call you since he's not your father."

"Yeah, well, he's the closest I'm ever gonna get. Ok, I know it may not look like what everybody else has, but I thought we were sort of a family. I guess I just didn't like overhearing people talking about it in gym class," he finished slowly. Kurt sighed and moved his bag, so the football player could sit next to him.

"Hey, guys, our thoughts are all with Kurt and I know it's sort of hard to really focus on anything," the choir director addressed them after he entered the room.

"Mr. Schue, I've been struggling trying to figure out what to say to Kurt all day. And I realized I don't want to say it, I want to sing it. This song is about being in a very dark place and turning to God. It's a spiritual song, Mr. Schue, is that ok? Tina, Quinn, can you help me out please?" Mercedes took a deep breath and began to sing _I Look to You_. After she belted out the last note, she met her best friend's watery gaze.

"Thank you, Mercedes. Your voice is stunning, but I don't believe in God."

"Wait, what?" Tina gasped, appalled at what her friend said.

"You've all professed your beliefs, I'm just stating mine. I think God is kind of like Santa Claus for adults. Otherwise, God is kind of a jerk, isn't he? I mean, He makes me and Hermione gay and then has his followers going around telling us it's something that we chose. As if someone would choose to be mocked every single day of their life. And right now I don't want a Heavenly Father. I want my real one back," Kurt uttered, wiping away a tear.

"But Kurt, how do you know for sure? You can't prove there's no God?"

"You can't prove there aren't real life gnomes that look like overgrown potatoes who can only be gotten rid of by grabbing onto their heels and swinging them around your head before hurling them over a hill, but it seems pretty unlikely, doesn't it?" Hermione blurted out, coming to Kurt's defense.

"Is God a potato?" Brittany asked Hermione seriously.

"We shouldn't be talking like this. It's not right!" Quinn shrieked causing Hermione to stand up and storm out of the room. Mr. Schuester ran after his niece as the remaining glee kids sat in silence wondering about the British girl's unexpected reaction.

"Way to go, Stretch Mark."

"Shut up, Santana!" The blonde snapped, immediately feeling guilty for upsetting the older girl.

"I wonder why she ran off like that," Artie mused out loud.

"Yeah. I mean, none of us even know why she showed up here all of a sudden. Ooh, I know. Let's go on a field trip to the library," Rachel said, standing up and marching towards the door. Their curiosity got the best of them, so the rest of the glee members reluctantly followed the diva to the library.

Once the glee club reached their destination, Rachel took charge and sat in front of the nearest computer before typing 'Hermione Granger' into Google. She clicked on the first article she saw and began reading aloud.

"Hermione Granger Sole Survivor of Brutal Home Invasion—Hermione Granger, 17, was the only survivor of a malicious attack on her home. Authorities do not know the cause of Henry and Jean Granger's tragic deaths, but it is clear that Miss Granger was forced to watch her parents die at the hands of at least three unknown assailants. Although we do not know the extent of Miss Granger's injuries, a large amount of her blood was discovered at the scene of this horrific crime. Many of our frequent readers will remember Miss Granger's name from the articles we wrote several months ago regarding the three or four weeks in March and April in which the young woman was kidnapped and tortured by a terrorist group. Miss Granger was not available for questioning at this time."

"Oh my God," Mercedes whispered, voicing everyone else's opinions. One by one, they left the library and went their separate ways, trying to wrap their heads around what they had just heard. Soon, only Finn and Rachel were left staring blankly at the computer screen.

"You really shouldn't have done that, Rachel," the quarterback told her quietly.

"I didn't think it would've been that bad," she whispered, ashamed of her need to figure the mysterious girl out.

* * *

><p>Santana was walking by Ms. Pillsbury's office when she heard an all too familiar voice screaming.<p>

"I can't find her anywhere, Emma! This is all my fault. I should've been paying more attention to her instead of trying to get you back!"

"Will, calm down! She'll be found when she wants to be found." Santana did not bothering sticking around to hear the rest of the conversation and sprinted to the auditorium. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found the wavy-haired brunette lazily playing the piano.

"Mr. Schue's really worried about you, you know."

"Oh, hey, Santana, what are you doing here?" The British girl asked with a sigh.

"I just wanted to" _check on you_ "tell you that you should really talk to Quinn. She feels really bad about what she said," the Latina informed the other girl in an unfamiliar tone, desperately trying not to upset the wavy-haired brunette in front of her.

"You all know, don't you?" She inquired dejectedly.

"Yes," Santana replied with a groan, running a hand through her hair. "The dwarf took it upon herself to investigate. I bet she feels like a total ass now."

"Can I ask you something?" The brown-eyed cheerleader nodded. "Why are you like this with me? I mean, I've heard you can be quite the bitch." Santana faltered for a brief moment before regaining her composure.

"Um, you're hot and haven't done anything to piss me off?" She responded uncertainly.

"Oh. Well, aren't I special?" Hermione chuckled. Santana rolled her eyes before pulling the other girl up off the piano bench.

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it," the raven-haired girl growled, dragging the now giggling girl off the stage.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Woo. Longest chapter thus far. I hope you enjoyed it. I'll try to update again in a few days, but my birthday's on Saturday, so who knows what's going to happen, haha. **

**Thanks again for giving this story a chance! :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Sorry if this chapter sucks. I'm sick yet again (my immune system is awful) and I'm afraid I'm not very lucid at the moment.**

**DeanCastielSam: Thanks! And thank you so much for taking the time to review after almost every chapter! :)**

**CluelessCutie3x3: Haha, no worries. I know love triangles can be frustrating, but it wouldn't be Glee without a _wee_ bit of conflict, right? I also don't want to rush into anything. Please be patient with me! There will be a few more chapters until we get some romance, but I hope it'll be worth the wait. I know what's endgame and I'm not changing my mind about it, don't worry! And thanks for the review. :)**

**Beautiful-Liar13: Thank you! And, there will be some more Harry eventually, don't worry!**

**Once again, thank you for all of the feedback. It really, really, really means a lot to me.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 11~<strong>

"Hey, Kurt," Hermione said, walking up to the boy at his locker, a few days later.

"Oh, hey, Hermione," he replied distractedly.

"I know how you feel right now, but I have an idea of something that could help," she told him with a small smile before grabbing his hand and dragging him toward the auditorium.

That afternoon, Kurt stood in front of his fellow singers and faced their teacher.

"Mr. Schue, if I may. I wanted to thank everyone for your kind emails and inquiries about my dad, but for your information, his condition remains the same. I need to express myself, so with your permission, Mr. Schue, Hermione and I have prepared a number for the occasion."

"Of course, Kurt." The choir director moved aside and sat down amongst his students. Hermione gave her friend a reassuring smile before walking up to the piano and sitting down.

"On the day of my mom's funeral, when they were lowering her body into the ground, I was crying. I mean, that was it. It was the last time I was ever going to see her. And I remembered looking up to my dad and I just wanted him to say something, just say something to make me feel like my whole world wasn't over. And he just took my hand and squeezed and just knowing that those hands were there to take care of me, that was enough. This is for my dad." Hermione began playing as Kurt opened his mouth to sing The Beatles' classic, _I Want to Hold Your Hand_. As he sang, tears filled the eyes of almost every person's eyes. Once he hit the last note, the boy wiped away a few tears and gave Hermione a hug.

On Monday of the following week, after Finn performed _Losing My Religion_, Hermione stepped in front of her peers.

"Thanks to a certain someone, you all know about my parents' deaths that occurred shortly before I got here. And, after seeing the courage Kurt has been showing this past week and especially on Friday, I, um, decided to prepare something for today. Not that many people in this room have seen me perform something like this, so please don't judge too harshly. I guess this is for everyone I've lost over the past couple of years." She sat in front of the piano and began playing the first couple of notes before she started singing.

"**I need a sign to let me know you're here.****  
><strong>**All of these lines are being crossed over the atmosphere.****  
><strong>**I need to know that things are gonna look up****  
><strong>**'Cause I feel us drowning in a sea spilled from a cup.**

"**When there is no place safe and no safe place to put my head,****  
><strong>**When you can feel the world shake from the words that are said.**

"**And I'm calling all angels.****  
><strong>**And I'm calling all you angels.**

"**I won't give up, if you don't give up.  
>I won't give up, if you don't give up.<br>I won't give up, if you don't give up.  
>I won't give up, if you don't give up.<strong>"

As the British girl sang, Santana was unable to look away from the beautiful brunette at the piano; she was singing with such emotion, that the Latina's heart began to flutter ever-so-slightly.

"**I need a sign to let me know you're here****  
><strong>**'Cause my TV set just keeps it all from being clear.****  
><strong>**I want a reason for the way things have to be.****  
><strong>**I need a hand to help build up some kind of hope inside of me.**

"**And I'm calling all angels,****  
><strong>**And I'm calling all you angels.**

"**When children have to play inside so they don't disappear.****  
><strong>**While private eyes solve marriage lies' cause we don't talk for years.****  
><strong>**And football teams are kissing queens****  
><strong>**and losing sight of having dreams.****  
><strong>**In a world that what we want is only what we want until it's ours.**

"**And I'm calling all angels,****  
><strong>**I'm calling all you angels.  
>And I'm calling all angels,<strong>**  
><strong>**I'm calling all you angels.  
>Calling all you angels<strong>**.**"

Once she played the last note, the entire class, except for the girl with deep brown eyes and the girl with beautiful hazel eyes, moved to the piano in order to comfort the girl.

"That was great, Hermione," Puck murmured before giving her a hug.

"Thanks," she answered softly, returning the embrace.

"I'm really sorry about butting into your business," Rachel told her genuinely.

"It's alright," Hermione replied with a small smile. The rest of the group hugged her and patted her on the back, while spreading words of encouragement, but Hermione's gaze was focused on the two girls sitting down. Soon, class was dismissed and only the three girls remained. Quinn took this as her chance to talk to the wavy-haired brunette.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you the other day. After everything you've been through, I can understand why you've lost faith in God. I did mean what I said when you spent the night a couple weeks ago. If you ever need to talk, I'm always here for you."

"It's ok, Q. You had no idea about my past. And thank you, you don't know how much that means to me," she replied honestly, while hugging the girl and kissing her on the cheek again. The blonde blushed and walked out the door, leaving only Santana and Hermione behind.

"Well, what'd you think?" The British girl asked the Cheerio shyly. Santana stood up and walked in front of the other girl and simply stared at her before wrapping her arms around her. As soon as their bodies touched, a spark was felt between them. Hermione froze for a second, before returning the girl's hug. They embraced, silently, for several moments until Santana pulled apart.

"You were amazing," she told her honestly.

"Thanks," the other girl replied with a blush, looking at the clock. "Oh, I guess you've gotta get to Cheerios practice, don't you?"

"Yes," she answered with a frown. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Of course you will, love," the older girl stated matter-of-factly before grinning at the Latina and exiting the choir room.

"What is happening to you, Lopez?" The raven-haired cheerleader mumbled to herself.

That evening, Will walked up to his niece who was working on her homework.

"Sweetheart, can we talk?"

"If it's about that Spanish assignment, I'll get it to you fir—"

"Not about that, Mia," the curly-haired man murmured sadly.

"Oh, well then, what's up?"

"Rachel showed me the article she found."

"Ok…"

"Why didn't I know that you had been kidnapped?"

"Oh. Um, I don't know how Muggle journalists found out about that," she sighed before continuing. "My best friends and I were searching for these things to defeat this really dark wizard and one day, we got separated and I ended up getting kidnapped and taken to their headquarters. One of the people who attacked my house a few weeks ago was the main person who tortured me…"

"Mia…"

"I never cracked underneath the pressure, but boy, did they try. I have so many scars from the three or four weeks I was there. I kinda lost track of the time." The young witch paused. "I guess the most noticeable one is this one," Hermione informed him. She pulled up her sleeve and waved her wand over her arm, slowly a word appeared.

"What's a 'Mudblood'?" He inquired as tears filled his eyes.

"It's a derogatory word for wizards and witches who come from Muggle parents. It never really bothered me that much, but the pureblood wizards used it every chance they got. Thankfully, I can use a glamor charm to hide it and the other ones that are visible." The hazel-eyed man stared at her in shock for a few seconds before quietly asking his next question.

"What are your nightmares about?"

"The night my parents were killed, the final battle, my time with the enemy. All of them have that deranged woman in them though," the brunette muttered gloomily.

"She doesn't sound like a very pleasant person…"

"Yeah, she's so bloody insane," Hermione chuckled humorlessly. "Can we stop talking about this for now?"

"Sure, honey. By the way, your performance today was incredibly moving. You definitely got the lesson this week."

"Thanks, Will," she responded with a genuine smile before wrapping her arms around her uncle.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Here's the latest chapter! Oh, shit, I just remembered that I forgot to put the name of the song from the last chapter in the author's note. My bad. It was "Calling All Angels" by Train. Um, I'll try to get another chapter up in a few days, but I'm going to Chicago for the first time this weekend! **

**Thank you once again for all of your lovely feedback. It brings a smile to my face. **

**Ok, enough of my rambling. Enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 12~<strong>

_**Previously: **"What are your nightmares about?"_

_"The night my parents were killed, the final battle, my time with the enemy. All of them have that deranged woman in them though," the brunette muttered gloomily._

_"She doesn't sound like a very pleasant person…"_

_"Yeah, she's so bloody insane," Hermione chuckled humorlessly. "Can we stop talking about this for now?"_

_"Sure, honey. By the way, your performance today was incredibly moving. You definitely got the lesson this week."_

_"Thanks, Will," she responded with a genuine smile before wrapping her arms around her uncle._

A few more weeks had passed and Hermione was sitting in glee waiting for Puck and her uncle to arrive. She turned around, trying to meet the gaze of the Latina and was shocked to find a glare directed at her from the girl in question. Before she could ask Brittany what got Santana's knickers in a twist, she was interrupted by the frantic flailing of Will.

"Alright, let's gather 'round. Sorry, I'm late guys. I was with Principal Figgins," he paused before letting out a sigh. "Bad news, guys. Puckerman's in juvie."

"What!" Shrieked Hermione, momentarily forgetting about the moody raven-haired girl behind her.

"It really was just a matter of time," laughed Tina as several more of their peers joined in.

"What did he do?" Quinn asked, disbelief shining in her voice.

"He drove his mom's Volvo through the front of a convenience store and drove off with the ATM," the choir director responded slowly.

"And when is he getting out?" Rachel asked frantically.

"Unknown," the curly-haired man stated with a frown.

"He really might be the dumbest person on this planet and that's coming from me," snickered the blonde dancer.

"C'mon, guys. Puck's not that bad of a guy. He saved me from Karofsky my first week here and he barely even knew me. Let's cut him some slack."

"A guy who put his needs before the team's? We need his voice and his bad boy stage presence," Finn retorted angrily.

"We can't look at this as a crisis. It's an opportunity," Mr. Schue smiled encouragingly.

"For what? Further embarrassment and humiliation?"

"For looking for new members!" The students groaned and began murmuring to themselves.

"Quick, you're losing them, Will. Give us our assignment already," Hermione called out from behind Quinn.

"Alright, alright. Question for the group. What's a duet?" He questioned enthusiastically.

"A blanket," Brittany answered seriously, earning a smile from the British girl.

"Nice try, love," she whispered to the ditzy Cheerio before facing her uncle yet again.

"A duet is when two voices join to become one. Great duets are like a great marriage. The singers compliment each other, push each other to be better. So, this week, I want you to pair up and sing a duet. And since you all seemed to love our Defying Gravity diva-off, I'm making this a competition," the teacher informed them with mirth filled eyes.

"What's the winner get?"

"Dinner for two on me at…BreadstiX!" At this, everyone started talking excitedly about how they needed to win.

"Uh, what the bloody hell is BreadstiX?" Inquired the wavy-haired brunette, confusion lacing her beautiful features.

"Only like the best restaurant ever! They are legally forbidden to stop bringing you breadsticks!" Santana snapped matter-of-factly.

"Ok, ok, I get it. BreadstiX is a big deal around here. Don't bite my sodding head off."

"I totally love the way you talk," Brittany informed the older girl with a wink as Santana rolled her eyes.

"Uh, thanks, Brit," chuckled the brown-eyed girl.

"Alright, guys, back on track. Since we have an odd number of people, someone is either going to have to sing with me or figure something else out." The group began eagerly planning in hushed tones and Hermione tried yet again to meet Santana's gaze, but the Latina continued to ignore her. As the group headed out the door after the bell rang, Hermione ran after the feisty Cheerio.

"Santana! Wait up!"

"What?" Spat the dark-haired girl venomously.

"Whoa, what the hell did I do to you?" The older girl asked raising her hands in the air to calm the Cheerio down. The other girl just glared at her in response, startling the British teen. "Ok…well, I was wondering if you'd like to be my duet partner," she asked with a shy smile.

"The answer's no, Granger. I actually want to win this thing," Santana snarled before storming off. Hermione stood there speechless, watching her walk away until she disappeared from her sight. The Gryffindor frowned and began to walk off dejectedly. Had she been paying attention, she would have been aware of the blonde-haired girl following behind her.

"Hermione," the girl called out.

"Yeah? Oh, hey, Quinn."

"Be my duet partner?" The head cheerleader inquired shyly.

"I'd love to," the brown-eyed girl replied with a genuine smile. The hazel-eyed girl beamed and grabbed the British girl's hand to pull her to the auditorium.

Once there, the blonde sat down at the piano, forcing Hermione to sit down beside her. The British girl began playing the intro of an unknown song while Quinn just watched her in silence. After a few moments, the younger girl opened her mouth to speak.

"Did you compose that?"

"Uh, yeah, I did. It helps keep my mind off of the past, you know?"

"Yeah, I completely understand that. I threw myself into photography after I gave up _Beth_," she replied, choking on the last syllable. Hermione stopped playing and wrapped an arm around the upset girl, pulling her further into her side.

"You know you did the right thing," the wavy-haired brunette murmured soothingly. "Who knows maybe when you're older, the woman who adopted her will let you be a part of Beth's life? I mean, anyone would be lucky to have you in his or her life."

"Do you always know the right thing to say?" Quinn spoke with a watery smile.

"It's a gift," Hermione responded with a wink. "I think I know a great song for us to do," she mused aloud.

"Oh, yeah? What's that?"

"Have you ever seen the movie _Once_?" When the blonde shook her head no, the British girl jumped up and grabbed the other girl's hand. "C'mon then. We're going back to my place and watching this film. It's a beautiful story. You'll love it," she informed her with a grin. In their rush to get out of the auditorium, they failed to notice the envious stare from the back row.

* * *

><p>After Santana marched away from the British girl, she poked her head out from around the corner to see Quinn grab Hermione's hand and drag her to the auditorium. She glanced around to make sure she was alone before following the two girls. As she sat down in the row farthest away from the stage, the raven-haired girl couldn't help but shoot daggers at the blonde who now had the gorgeous brunette's arm around her. When she saw the way Hermione's face lit up as she mentioned something, she began muttering angrily to herself in Spanish and almost lost it completely when the British girl grasped the head cheerleader's hand to pull her to god knows where. Once they were gone, a now fuming Santana remained in the darkened theater for a few moments. She whipped out her phone and sent a text before standing up and storming off to her car.<p>

Several minutes later, Santana found herself outside of the Pierce household. As soon as the blue-eyed dancer opened the door, the Latina dragged her up to her bedroom before shoving her down onto the bed. She began heatedly making out with a more than willing Brittany, desperately trying to push the thoughts of a certain wavy-haired brunette out of her mind.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Ok, please don't hate me! I don't know if you guys are Hermione/Santana fans or Hermione/Quinn fans, but I promise you it's not going to be this back-and-forth thing for the entire story, she will end up with one of them eventually and it will be for the long-run (unless I decide to be mean, but that's not really in my nature.)**

**The next chapter is the second part of "Duets"!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Woo. Another chapter before I leave for Chicago!**

**Thanks to harrybrandybuck, DeanCastielSam, and SlytherinSlayer21 for reviewing! And thanks to everyone who is adding this story as a favorite/alert! Y'all are truly awesome.**

**For the song in this chapter, lines "_like this_" are sung by Quinn and Hermione, lines "like this" are sung by Hermione, and lines "**_like this_**" are sung by Quinn.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 13~<strong>

_**Previously: **__Several minutes later, Santana found herself outside of the Pierce household. As soon as the blue-eyed dancer opened the door, the Latina dragged her up to her bedroom before shoving her down onto the bed. She began heatedly making out with a more than willing Brittany, desperately trying to push the thoughts of a certain wavy-haired out of her mind._

The next day in glee, Mercedes and Santana performed _River Deep-Mountain High_ and Hermione found herself unable to tear her gaze off the Latina. Quinn noticed exactly to where Hermione's eyes were drawn and elbowed her in the side, annoyance evident on her face. The British girl jumped and turned bright red before mumbling her apology and pulling out her phone.

"Harry, if Hogwarts had had cheerleaders and they dressed the way they do here in America, I definitely would've realized my sexuality a lot sooner," she typed before pressing send.

"Haha! You'll have to send me a picture ;)" She rolled her eyes playfully before writing her response.

"In your dreams, Potter!"

"Meanie :("

"Well, from what I've been told here, it's all about the teasing and not about the pleasing ;)"

"Oi. Pay attention! Aren't you in glee right now?"

"Aren't you on a top secret Auror mission?"

"Touché."

"Ladies, nice work, what an incredible song!" The voice of her uncle made her look up at the two girls, both of whom were smirking triumphantly.

"And just so you know, I've already bought custom bibs for me and Mercedes here. You know why? 'Cause we's be going…" Santana trailed off wickedly.

"…to BreadstiX!" They exclaimed together, earning several eye rolls.

"You hear that guys? You have your work cut out for you!" Laughed Mr. Schue good-naturedly.

Later that day, Hermione was sitting in her British Literature class bored out of her mind. As soon as the bell rang, she bolted up and tried to hurry out the door before she was stopped by the teacher calling out to her.

"Miss Granger, please come here!"

"Yes?" She answered politely.

"There's a new sophomore this year and he has dyslexia, so he struggles with writing his papers. You are by far my brightest student. Would you please tutor him?" The older women asked, desperation shining in her eyes.

"I'd love to," she replied with a genuine smile, glad to be of service.

"Great! I'll have him meet you in the library during your free period tomorrow morning," the English teacher told her enthusiastically. Hermione nodded her head and exited the classroom, eager to tell Will about this new project.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Hermione was sitting in the library, waiting for the student she was supposed to be tutoring. After fifteen minutes had passed, she stood up ready to leave when a tall, blonde haired boy ran in.<p>

"I'm so sorry I'm late," he breathed out.

"It's fine," she replied, grinning when he gave her a confused look. "I'm guessing the teacher didn't tell you I'm British."

"Nope, she most definitely did not," he laughed while putting his books down to hold out his hand. "My name's Sam Evans."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Hermione Granger," she spoke with a warm smile, shaking the boy's hand.

"Wait a second…you're that girl who almost caused a sex riot when the glee club performed _Toxic_, aren't you?" He questioned, his jaw dropping.

"Guilty as charged," she murmured as a pink hue covered her cheeks. Sam sat down with a smile and pulled out his book so he and Hermione could begin working on his English paper.

"Well, I thought it was a really great performance until Ms. Sylvester had to ruin it by pulling the fire alarm. You guys are super talented," the blonde praised. "I'm only good at football," he grumbled ashamedly.

"I doubt that's true. And from what I can tell from this paper, you are really smart."

"No, I'm not," Sam answered with a blush. "My grades suck."

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but grades really don't reflect how intelligent you are. Your thoughts are very deep. You really only need help with organizing your thoughts better. And then, I can help you proofread."

"Awesome," he responded with a shy smile. As the continued to work, the British girl could see how difficult it was for the boy to accept praise, so she vowed to help boost his self-esteem as much as she could. When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the period, Sam closed his book and waited for Hermione to speak.

"Same time tomorrow?" He nodded. "Wicked. Here's my number, text or call me if you need any help tonight, ok?"

"Thanks, Hermione. You don't know how much I appreciate all this." Hermione grinned at him and ruffled his hair before walking to her next class.

* * *

><p>A few days had passed and Hermione's time to perform her duet with Quinn was fast approaching. Only Rachel and Finn had to go and then it would be their time. As the British teen focused on the performance going on in front of her, she couldn't believe what she was seeing. The couple was singing <em>With You I'm Born Again<em> dressed as a school girl and priest.

"What the bloody hell was that?" She spluttered out, a look of disgust crossing her face.

"I seriously wanted to punch both of you," Quinn stated bluntly.

"It's a great duet, but what you two did with it was really inappropriate. Your costume choice was a little insensitive and frankly, I'm disappointed," the choir director told them sternly.

"What?" Rachel called out, flabbergasted.

"Are you serious? I'm…" Finn trailed off, looking to the diva for guidance.

"Shocked!" The short brunette shrieked.

"Shocked!"

"We're shocked. I really hope that this doesn't cost us the competition. Let's sit down," she ordered Finn before throwing a warm smile at the wavy-haired brunette.

"Um, ok, that was weird," Hermione whispered to the hazel-eyed girl, who nodded in agreement.

"Well, getting back on track. Who's next?" Will questioned, looking at his students. Hermione and Quinn stood up and walked to the front of the room. The two girls took a deep breath and faced their peers.

"I honestly couldn't have asked for a better partner," the brunette informed the group as she squeezed the blonde's hand reassuringly and sat at the piano. She began playing as Quinn walked to stand behind her.

"_**I don't know you,**__**  
><strong>__**But I want you**__**  
><strong>__**All the more for that.**__**  
><strong>__**Words fall through me,**__**  
><strong>__**And always fool me,**__**  
><strong>__**And I can't react.**_"

As they sang the first verse together, Quinn moved around and sat next to Hermione, who sang the next few lines herself.

"**And games that never amount****  
><strong>**To more than they're meant,****  
><strong>**Will play themselves out.**"

"_**Take this sinking boat and point it home,**__**  
><strong>__**We've still got time.**__**  
><strong>__**Raise your hopeful voice, you had the choice,**__**  
><strong>__**You made it now.**_

"_**Falling slowly, eyes that know me,**__**  
><strong>__**And I can't go back.**__**  
><strong>__**Moods that take me and erase me,**__**  
><strong>__**And I'm painted black.**_"

During the next verse, Quinn put her arm around the other girl and sang the words directly to her.

"_Well, you have suffered enough__  
><em>_And warred with yourself,__  
><em>_It's time that you've won."_

The brunette kissed her cheek quickly without thinking before joining the blonde on the chorus.

"_**Take this sinking boat and point it home,**__**  
><strong>__**We've still got time.**__**  
><strong>__**Raise your hopeful voice, you had the choice,**__**  
><strong>__**You made it now."**_

The girls were so wrapped up in each other as they finished the song that they didn't even hear the praise coming from their classmates. They just continued to stare at each other until Mr. Schue put his arms around them, finally shaking them out of their reverie.

"Guys, that was…wow. It was a truly awe-inspiring performance," he spoke causing the girls to look down bashfully. Others soon joined their teacher by the piano to congratulate the girls on their beautiful performance.

"So freakin' charming," Santana murmured angrily, glaring at the two girls.

"Girl, you've got no reason to be jealous. You could've been her partner, but you shot her down," Mercedes informed her with a roll of her eyes.

"Whatever, Wheezy. I'm out of here."

"Wait, Santana, we have to vote!" Mr. Schue called out to her as she made her way to the door.

"I clearly vote for myself. Let me know the results," she yelled out over her shoulder before slamming the door closed.

"Um, ok, well, everyone else write down who you think deserves to win on these slips of paper and bring them to me." The students cast their vote and waited for Mr. Schue to give them the results. "Well, guys, it's unanimous, the winners are…Hermione and Quinn! Congrats, guys!"

"Wow, I don't know what to say," the British girl addressed them shyly. "Thank you, all of you. And thank you, Quinn." The blonde gave her a look almost as if to say 'for what?' but remained silent and opted for linking their arms together before leading the slightly shorter girl out of the choir room.

Later that night, Santana furiously glared holes into her ceiling after receiving a text from Brittany informing her that Hermione and Quinn had won the duets competition and were now on their way to BreadstiX.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Song is "Falling Slowly" by The Swell Season (or Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova). **


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Here's the latest chapter! Chicago was amazing, by the way.**

**DeanCastielSam: Thank you for the review! And yes, Sam will definitely be joining glee eventually!**

**Enjoy! :)**

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><p><strong>~Chapter 14~<strong>

"You ok, Hermione?" A voice called out, tearing the brunette from her thoughts.

"Hm? Oh, yeah, Sam, sorry," the British girl replied distractedly.

"Wanna talk about it?" The blonde boy asked, pushing aside his paper on Edgar Allen Poe's _The Raven_ and focusing on the girl next to him.

"The closer Halloween gets, the more homesick I get," she informed him with a shrug.

"Why Halloween?" Sam inquired with a tilt of his head.

"I met the boy who eventually became like my brother on Halloween when I was eleven years old. He saved my life that night and it was the start of our friendship. This will be the first Halloween I haven't spent with him since that night," Hermione told him gloomily. He looked at her sympathetically before wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"Come over to my place on Halloween. My younger siblings and I would love for you to join us when we go trick-or-treating."

"Really? I've never been trick-or-treating before," the brown-eyed girl mused aloud.

"What! Are you serious? Why the hell not?" Sam shouted, earning a glare from the librarian.

"Well, my parents were both dentists so they didn't really want me to exposed to all of those sweets. And when I was in boarding school, we only had a feast for Halloween."

"Well, that settles it then. You are coming with me and my siblings to go trick-or-treating! I'm thinking of going as Justin Bieber," he told her with a grin, flipping his hair dramatically.

"Oh, bloody hell," she laughed. "I'll have to think of something amazing if I can hope to compete with _that_!" After earning yet another stern look from the elderly woman behind the desk, the two hurried out of the library and over to the football field to begin talking about costume possibilities until the end of the period.

Several hours later, Hermione was sitting in the choir room bouncing her knees with a large smile planted firmly on her face.

"Well, someone's looking a lot happier," Quinn told her with a chuckle as she sat down next to her.

"I'm going trick-or-treating for the first time ever this year with this guy I tutor and his younger siblings," she informed the head cheerleader, excitedly.

"You are too cute," murmured the blonde as the British girl blushed and turned away.

"Get a room!" Spat Santana as she stomped past the two, startling the wavy-haired brunette. She looked at the Latina sadly and nervously began tapping her fingers on her knee to calm herself down. The hazel-eyed girl next to her noticed her friend's sudden change in mood and intertwined their fingers before giving the other girl's hand a gentle squeeze. The brown-eyed girl looked up, briefly smiled at the blonde, and scooted her chair closer to the other girl. They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments before the choir director rushed in.

"Great news, guys. I've had a little inspiration. This week's musical lesson isn't really a lesson. It's a musical. Rocky Horror!" He told them enthusiastically.

"Mr. Schue, while I admire your choice of the groundbreaking 70's musical, aren't you worried the adult themes might be a point of controversy?" Rachel questioned warily.

"Seriously. A school in Texas couldn't do Rent. It caused an outrage and they had to cancel the show," Kurt spoke up.

"Isn't that the whole point of the arts? Pushing boundaries? Doing things people say you can't do for the sake of self-expression?" Mr. Schue paused. "I've got it all figured out. I've cut out some of the more risqué sections and I'm sending home permission slips to all your parents to make sure they're ok with it." Hermione stiffened at the mention of parents causing Quinn to let go of her hand and put her arm around the other girl. "Ok, let's talk about casting."

"Finn and I will play Brad and Janet," Rachel cried out shrilly.

"And I'll be playing the guy in the wheelchair, right?" Asked Artie with a small shrug.

"That's what I was thinking. And, I thought Kurt could play the role of Frank-N-Furter!"

"No, there is no way I'm playing a transvestite in high heels and fishnets and wearing lipstick," spluttered the well-dressed boy.

"Why? 'Cause that look was last season?" Santana questioned him with a smirk.

"Oh, William!" Hermione called out before Kurt and the Latina engaged in an argument. "I'll do it. It'd be less controversial and I can totally pull of an excellent British accent. Plus, I'd look pretty damn good in that outfit."

"I second that," the raven-haired Cheerio mumbled under her breath, unaware of the hazel-eyed girl listening in.

"Alright, Mia. I have no problem with that," he told her with a smile. "Now, we're a little short on female roles, so we're going to have to double up on Columbia's and Magenta's."

"It's standard practice on Broadway. It'll preserve your voices," Rachel spoke arrogantly.

"I'd like to preserve you. In a jar. In my basement," Mercedes growled, causing the group to snicker.

"We'll figure out the other roles later. Who knows? Maybe I'll end up playing Rocky," he grinned as the students rolled their eyes.

After the bell rang, the group trickled out of the room one by one, until only Quinn and Santana were left. As the dark-haired girl moved to exit the door, the slightly taller girl blocked her path.

"What do you want, Tubbers?"

"I don't know what you're playing at with Hermione, but leave her alone," the blonde muttered dangerously.

"Aww, why, Q? You want her all to yourself? You're president of the fucking celibacy club for Christ's sake," the Latina retorted with a roll of her eyes.

"Don't take the Lord's name in vain…"

"Really? That's all you have to say? What makes you think she'd even want you? From what Puck's told me, she has a hell of a lot more experience than you do, especially when it comes to women." Quinn's glare faltered; she knew Santana was right. The Latina smirked, knowing she won this round. She shoved past the blonde and waved mockingly before sauntering down the hall.

Later that night, the head cheerleader was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. After a few moments, she sighed and pulled out her phone.

"Can I come over?" She typed before reluctantly pressing send.

"Yeah, of course. Is everything ok?" The response from Hermione read.

"Yeah…see you in a few." She told Mercedes that she was going over to Hermione's, who nodded understandingly. A few minutes later, she found herself standing outside her destination, contemplating knocking on the door or turning around and going home when her phone buzzed.

"You going to knock or are you just going to keep standing there?" She rolled her eyes and knocked on the door.

"'Bout time, love. I was wondering how long it was going to take you to knock on the damn door," the brunette teased as she pulled the other girl inside. "Will's not here. He said something about hanging out with Coach Bieste."

"Oh, ok," the blonde murmured, staring at the older girl who was wearing only a pair of boxers and a tank top. "Um…"

"You look a bit flushed. Are you ok?" Hermione questioned her worriedly.

"Yeah…no. I'm really confused," murmured the blonde, avoiding the British girl's gaze.

"What about?"

"You," she whispered so softly that Hermione almost didn't hear her.

"What about me?" She asked her gently.

"You…make me question everything I thought I knew. Whenever I'm with you, it's hard not to be close to you. Whenever I'm not with you, I want to be. And seeing you here…looking like that is making me want to…"

"Want to what?" The brunette interrupted quietly.

"…kiss you," the hazel-eyed girl responded nervously.

"Then kiss me," she muttered as the cheerleader stepped closer to her. Quinn brought her hand up to the British girl's face and caressed her cheek lightly before leaning in and gently placing her lips on the other girl's. They kissed each other chastely for a few minutes before the blonde pulled away.

"Thank you," she spoke breathlessly.

"I'm not gonna lie. I like you a lot, Quinn, but I don't want to hurt you" Hermione sighed, running her hands up and down the younger girl's arms.

"You would never hurt me," she mused out loud before continuing. "Well, could we just be in an unofficial sort of thing? Like, can we hold hands and cuddle and maybe kiss? I just feel like it's something we could both benefit from right now."

"I'd love that, Q," the brown-eyed girl replied with a smile, pulling her into her room. The two girls curled up on the bed before falling asleep in each other's arms. When Will finally got home, he was confused as to why Quinn Fabray was snuggled up to his niece, but he couldn't help but smile because Hermione actually looked peaceful sleeping in the Cheerio's arms.

The next day, Hermione was beaming as half of the glee club performed _Dammit Janet_. Her smile wavered, however, when she saw the cheerleading coach motion for Will to come out into the hallway. She rolled her eyes and went back to focusing on the hazel-eyed girl dancing in front of her. After they finished performing, Quinn removed her wig and sat next to Hermione who grabbed her hand and kissed her on the cheek. Santana rolled her eyes at the sight and began plotting to seduce the brunette. The perfect opportunity presented itself when they began their first dress rehearsal a few days later.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: The song in this chapter is sung by Hermione. And it is, of course, _Sweet Transvestite_ from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". (Also, I did decide to use the Glee edited lyrics instead of the original ones.)**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 15~<strong>

_**Previously: **__The next day, Hermione was beaming as half of the glee club performed__ "__Dammit Janet__"__. Her smile wavered, however, when she saw the cheerleading coach motion for Will to come out into the hallway. She rolled her eyes and went back to focusing on the hazel-eyed girl dancing in front of her. After they finished performing, Quinn removed her wig and sat next to Hermione who grabbed her hand and kissed her on the cheek. Santana rolled her eyes at the sight and began plotting to seduce the brunette. The perfect opportunity presented itself when they began their first dress rehearsal a few days later._

"Action!" Called Mr. Schue from in front of the stage.

"Oh, Brad! Let's get out of here! I'm cold, I'm wet, and I'm just plain scared," shrieked the small diva.

"Well, I'm here, there's nothing to be afraid of," soothed Finn. Rachel let out a loud scream and fainted as Hermione waltzed out of the elevator in full Dr. Frank-N-Furter garb causing several mouths to dry up.

"**How d'you do, I see you've met my faithful handyman.****  
><strong>**He's just a little brought down 'cause when you knocked,****  
><strong>**He thought you were the candyman."**

As Hermione sang and strutted about the stage, Santana and Brittany moved up behind her and began grinding up against her suggestively.

"**Don't get strung out by the way I look,****  
><strong>**Don't judge a book by its cover.****  
><strong>**I'm not much of a girl by the light of day,****  
><strong>**But by night I'm one hell of a lover.**

"**I'm just a Sweet Transvestite from sensational, Transylvania."**

"**So why don't you stay for the night? Or maybe a bite?****  
><strong>**I could show you my favorite obsession."**

At this point the two Cheerios had their hands all over the British teen and the third cheerleader couldn't take it anymore. Before Hermione could continue with the song, she called out to their teacher.

"Mr. Schue, will you please tell Santana and Brittany to STOP having sex with Hermione on stage!" Hermione took a deep breath and tried to cool off, but the cheerleaders were still pressed up against her.

"Uh, ok, Quinn. Let's take five, everybody!" The choir director ordered uncomfortably.

"Well, that was fun," the Latina murmured huskily into the wavy-haired brunette's ear before grabbing her best friend and walking off stage. Hermione turned around only to come face-to-face with a fuming Quinn.

"You looked like you enjoyed that a little too much," the blonde growled.

"Um, it was all a part of the performance?" The older girl suggested uncertainly. The cheerleader glared at her before pulling her backstage and shoving her up against a wall. Before the brown-eyed girl knew what was happening, Quinn's lips crashed onto her own in a heated kiss.

"Oh my gosh. I am so sorry!" Yelped the familiar voice of the guidance counselor, who now had her hands covering her eyes. "Um, Hermione, Will wants to speak with you." The British girl nodded dumbly and went to find her uncle.

"Mia, is it my imagination, or are Santana and Quinn sort of fighting over you?" The curly-haired man questioned in an exasperated tone.

"I have no idea what's going on, to be honest. Santana goes from being really nice to being a total bitch to trying to get into my knickers."

"Mia! I do not want to hear things like that," her uncle groaned.

"Sorry, Will. As for Quinn, we're a little more than friends, but that's it," she replied with a shy smile.

"Ok, just be careful. I don't want you getting hurt."

"I know, Will. Don't worry, I can handle those two."

The next day, Hermione was walking down to see her uncle in his classroom, when she heard someone singing _Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a Me_. She peered into the classroom and was shocked to see her uncle with his shirt off and the red-haired guidance counselor performing the song. She waited outside the door until Ms. Pillsbury ran out, a panicked expression covering her face.

"So that's why we're doing _The Rocky Horror Picture Show_?" The brown-eyed girl inquired with a frown.

"Mia! Um, we were just practicing," Will spluttered out unconvincingly.

"Will, she's with Carl now. You can't keep interfering. If she ever leaves him, you'll be there for her, but for right now you need to let her go."

"When did you get so smart?"

"Well, they didn't call me the brightest witch of my generation for nothing," Hermione responded with a smirk. The man rolled his eyes, but chuckled as he tried to swat at her head. "Put your shirt back on, Will. I'll see you at home for dinner. I've got to go try to figure out a Halloween costume."

"Oh, what are you doing for Halloween?"

"This guy that I'm tutoring invited me to go trick-or-treating with him and his younger siblings," she told him enthusiastically.

"That sounds great, sweetheart. I hope you have fun!" The hazel-eyed man told her with a large smile, happy that she was forming a lot of great friendships. She threw her arms around him and bid him farewell before going in search of Kurt and Mercedes.

"Hey, guys, I really need your help," Hermione told the two when she found them by their lockers.

"Oh my god, is everything ok?" Mercedes rushed out, inspecting the other girl for any abnormalities.

"Everything's fine," the British girl laughed. "I just need help coming up with a Halloween costume."

"Ooh, this'll be fun. Let's go to the mall!" Kurt squealed. The trio headed out to Kurt's car, animatedly talking about their plans for Halloween. Once they arrived at their destination, the blue-eyed boy dragged the two girls into the costume shop. "Ok, well, you have fabulous bone structure. You should totally do a Victorian era thing!"

"Well, what did you have in mind?" Hermione inquired, amused at her friend's passion.

"Are there any characters from that era that you really like?" Mercedes asked, pulling out various fabrics.

"Hmm, how 'bout Mrs. Lovett?" Mused the British girl out loud.

"From _Sweeney Todd_? That's brilliant! We can do your hair and makeup and sew you a dress. You'll look amazing!" Kurt told her as they found the right colors and paid for the fabrics.

* * *

><p>"I want to apologize for putting you guys through all this. Particularly, Finn," the choir director muttered guiltily a couple days later.<p>

"It's cool Mr. Schue. I'm sure the teasing will die down by the time my tenth reunion rolls around," chuckled Finn while putting his arm around Rachel.

"We can't do the musical. I was wrong. _Rocky Horror_ isn't about pushing boundaries or making an audience accept a certain rebellious point of view. Those are my reasons for doing it and they aren't worth risking what we have here. When I was younger and they started the midnight shows of _Rocky Horror_, it wasn't for envelope pushers. It was for outcasts. People on the fringes who had no place left to go, but were searching for someplace, anyplace where they felt like they belonged. Sound familiar? The truth is, with that perspective, _Rocky Horror_ is the perfect show for this club."

"Well, then why aren't we putting it on?"

"We're still going to perform _Rocky Horror_. We're just not doing it for an audience, we're doing it for ourselves." The group smiled and got into their costumes to prepare for their final performance of _Time Warp_. After they finished the show, Hermione quickly changed out of her costume and hurried home to work on her costume.

A few days later, she was decked out in her Mrs. Lovett costume, getting ready to leave for Sam's. She bid her uncle farewell, got into her car, and followed the directions to the Evans' home. After she pulled into the driveway, she carefully climbed out of her car and walked up to the front door. She knocked hesitantly and was greeted by a smiling Sam.

"Wow, you look great!" He beamed, wrapping his arms around her.

"So do you, Biebs," she giggled, taking in his appearance.

"Are you excited?" The blonde-haired boy questioned, bouncing up and down.

"More than you know," the brunette replied with a grin. Sam returned her smile with one of his own before walking over to the staircase.

"Guys, come here!" He called up the stairs. Seconds later, two children ran down the stairs. "This is Hermione. Hermione, the pirate is Stacy who's six and the ninja is Stevie who's eight."

"It's very nice to meet you two," she spoke kindly.

"I love your costume," the little blonde girl murmured with a shy smile.

"Thanks, I like yours too."

"I like the way you talk," the young boy told her, turning a light shade of pink. The British girl laughed and ruffled the boy's hair.

"Stevie, go get your mask. Stacy, go get your sword. We're leaving in five minutes!" The teenagers watched the two children run off excitedly.

"You're really good with them," Hermione informed him genuinely.

"Thanks," he answered with a blush of his own.

"Is that a guitar?" The blonde football player nodded. "Do you play?"

"Yeah, I can kinda sing too."

"Play something for me," the older girl ordered lightheartedly.

"Uh, it doesn't have to be the _Monster Mash _or anything like that, does it?" The wavy-haired brunette shook her head with a laugh. "Ok, well, here we go. Don't judge too hard, superstar." He started strumming the guitar and began singing John Mayer's _Half of My Heart_. When he finished, he was met with the sound of applause from his siblings and Hermione.

"You're really talented, Sam. You should totally join glee!"

"Oh, I dunno. I don't think I'm ready for anything like that yet," he answered bashfully.

"Ok, that's cool. I won't push you to join like Rachel probably would, but just know that you'd be a great addition to the New Directions," she said to him as they walked out of his house. The boy smiled and handed her a pillowcase.

"Ready for your first time trick-or-treating?" He was met with an enthusiastic nod. The two walked behind the children, chatting lightly until they reached the first house. They walked up and rang the doorbell, yelled "trick-or-treat!", and received their handfuls of candy. As the night came to an end, Hermione could not stop smiling.

"Thank you so much for inviting me," she muttered, hugging the taller boy. "It was so much fun. Your brother and sister are amazing kids."

"You were awesome with them. They're going to want to see you again, you know," Sam told her with a chuckle.

"I'd love that. Maybe we can put on a concert for them next time," she suggested happily. "I should get going though. We do have school tomorrow."

"Don't remind me," the boy groaned. "I'll see you tomorrow. Don't forget your candy!" Hermione laughed while grabbing her pillowcase before waving goodbye to the Evans siblings and driving off.

"Hey, Mia, did you have fun?" Will asked his niece as she walked through the door.

"It was great! I got so much candy," she responded animatedly.

"You going to share?" He questioned, eyeing her bag greedily.

"Over my dead body!" Hermione shouted out before searching for her wand.

"Mia, that's not fair! You can't use magic to hide it," the man whined.

"Yeah, right, Will. Ever since we went to the dentist, you have had this huge sweet tooth. If I don't hide it, it'd all be gone by tomorrow!" Her uncle crossed his arms and pouted. "Fine, here's some candy from the wizarding world," the brown-eyed girl told him, throwing him a box.

"What are Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans?"

"You'll see, William. Enjoy!" She called out wickedly.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Next chapter will be the first part of "Never Been Kissed" and you know what that means...Kurt meets Blaine!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Ahh, sorry, I know I'm awful! Thanks to all of you who have added this story to your favorites/alerts. Y'all are fabulous! I'll try to upload another chapter tomorrow or the day after.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 16~<strong>

_**Previously: **__"Yeah, right, Will. Ever since we went to the dentist, you have had this huge sweet tooth. If I don't hide it, it'd all be gone by tomorrow!" Her uncle crossed his arms and pouted. "Fine, here's some candy from the wizarding world," the brown-eyed girl told him, throwing him a box._

_"What are Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans?"_

_"You'll see, William. Enjoy!" She called out wickedly._

"Hey, hey, pretty lady!" A masculine voice called out from behind Hermione as she put her books into her locker. She spun around quickly before a huge smile broke out on her face.

"Puck! You're back!" The brown-eyed girl squealed, jumping up and throwing her arms around the tall boy. He swung her around before putting her down with a bashful grin.

"Anything crazy happen while I was gone?"

"Well, Quinn and I are sort of a thing. And I'm pretty sure Santana is quite jealous," she told him with an uncomfortable smile.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Sounds like you're turning into the Hermione of the past again." The British girl rolled her eyes and hit him upside the head. "Has Karofsky been harassing you lately?" He inquired, concern shining in his eyes.

"Sort of," Hermione replied with a shrug. "It's been a lot worse for Kurt though." She informed him as they walked to glee. "I really missed you, you know."

"I missed you too, babe," Puck murmured shyly before entering the choir room and sitting down. Hermione smiled at him once more before sitting down next to Quinn. The two girls chatted quietly until the choir director walked in, late as usual.

"Alright, guys, let's get down to business. First, let's welcome back Noah Puckerman!" The group erupted in thunderous applause as the boy with the mohawk flexed his muscles. "Alright, well, drumroll, Finn, because I have in my hand our competition for Sectionals next month. First, the a capella choir from the all boys' private school in Westerville, the Dalton Academy Warblers!"

"Oh, bloody hell," grumbled Hermione.

"What's wrong, Mia?" Will asked his nice, a

"I, um, know the Warblers. I've sort of performed with them a couple of times and I'm really good friends with their lead vocalist," she groaned, burying her face in her hands.

"You better not be a spy for them," Rachel addressed her accusingly. The British teen held up her hands defensively.

"We don't even talk about stuff like that. I just go there to hang out and perform with them. They actually appreciate me and let everyone have a chance to shine," she snarled back at the diva. "And don't even think about asking me to spy on them."

"Guys, guys! Calm down! Mia, your friendship with the Warblers is fine. And, the rest of you better not badger her about it," he told them sternly. "Our other competition: The Hipsters, a first year club from the Warren Township continued education program. Now they are a glee club composed entirely of elderly people getting their high school GEDs. Since it seemed to get you guys jazzed for Sectionals last year, I want to make this week our second annual boys versus girls' tournament." The group began cheering loudly yet again. "So, split up into two groups and figure out what songs you're going to sing. Kurt, I'm going to say it again…boys' team." Hermione rolled her eyes and glanced sadly at Kurt.

"Will, why don't you make the girls sing songs typically done by guys and vice versa? It'd spice things up," the brunette suggested nonchalantly.

"Alright, that's fine. Any objections?" The group shook their heads no and Kurt looked at Hermione thankfully.

After class, she and Kurt were walking down the hallway, when Karofsky popped up out of nowhere and shoved the two into a set of lockers.

"What is your problem?" Kurt screamed, as he helped the girl up.

"You talking back to me? You wanna piece of the fury?" Kurt went to retaliate, but Hermione stopped him and guided him away from the bully.

"It's not worth it, love. Let's go. There's someone I want you to meet." She pulled out her phone and dialed Blaine's number. "Hey, Blaine, I'm coming over to see you guys. I'm bringing a guest. Have something special prepared!" She grabbed Kurt's hand and led him to her car. They drove for about an hour and a half before they reached Dalton Academy. "Ok, here we are!"

"Hermione, what are we doing here?" Kurt questioned, eyeing the school in awe.

"I told you. There's someone I want you to meet," the British girl replied with a smile as she looked towards the entrance to the school. "And there he is." She pulled Kurt along with her as she ran over to a dark-haired boy. "Blaine! I've missed you!" She threw her arms around him, laughing gleefully.

"Hey, Mione! Who's this?" He inquired with a warm smile, looking the taller boy up and down.

"This is Kurt Hummel. Kurt, meet Blaine Anderson, lead Warbler." The two shook hands. "You've got something to sing for us?"

"Of course. Come on you two!" He wrapped his arms around their shoulders and led them into the school. The trio walked into the Warblers' practice room and the wavy-haired brunette was met with a smiling group of young men.

"Hermione, it's great to see you again!" Wes called out to her before putting an arm around her. "You and your friend take a seat right there. We've got an awesome show for you today." The Warblers moved to the center of the room with Blaine in the lead. They began swaying and singing the familiar notes of _Teenage Dream_ before Blaine jumped in with the lyrics.

"Oh my god, that was amazing!" Kurt gushed, clapping enthusiastically after the group finished. Hermione nodded and walked up to Blaine before whispering something in his ear, the boy nodded and walked over to Kurt.

"Come with me," he spoke kindly, grasping his hand and pulling him into the next room. They were gone for about twenty minutes, during which Hermione was laughing and singing with the remaining Warblers. After they said goodbye to the group of young men, Hermione and Kurt began conversing as they walked to the car.

"Blaine seems like a really great guy," the blue-eyed boy murmured dreamily.

"He is. He was the first friend I had when I moved here. He's the one who got me performing again," she told her companion fondly.

"Really? I didn't know that." Kurt paused. "Why did you stop me from standing up to Karofsky? You do it all the time."

"I've been through a lot," Hermione sighed. "I know how cruel people can truly be. There's something dark brewing in Karofsky and I don't want you to get hurt," she muttered uncomfortably.

"I understand and I appreciate that, but you can't always protect everybody. One of these days, you are going to have to let me stand up to Karofsky on my own."

"I know, but that doesn't mean I won't kick his ass if he lays a hand on you."

"Fine," he laughed. "If he touches me in any way you deem unsuitable, I will do nothing to stop you from attacking."

"Thank you," the British girl replied with a smirk.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hello, my darlings! I know I'm a few days late with this update, but alas, I got caught up in the complexities of life. Once again, thank you for all of your lovely feedback! I really, really appreciate it.**

**For the song in this chapter, lines "like this" are sung by Hermione, lines "****_like this_****" are sung by the female members of New Directions, and lines "**_like this_**" are sung by Mercedes. **

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 17~<strong>

**_Previously: _**_[Kurt:] __"I understand and I appreciate that, but you can't always protect everybody. One of these days, you are going to have to let me stand up to Karofsky on my own."_

_"I know, but that doesn't mean I won't kick his ass if he lays a hand on you."_

_"Fine," he laughed. "If he touches me in any way you deem unsuitable, I will do nothing to stop you from attacking."_

_"Thank you," the British girl replied with a smirk._

"The boys beat us the last time we competed against them. We've got to bring the noise hard this time," Mercedes addressed the group a few days later as they worked on their costumes.

"To be fair, they didn't officially beat us. We got busted for vitamin D possession before the vote," Quinn pointed out as Hermione snorted.

"Wow, guys, you are such badasses."

"Oh hush," the blonde teased. "What was the worst thing you did at school?"

"Um, well, there was that time when I got detention for being out in the Forbidden Forest way past curfew. I was eleven. Um, there was also that time I stole a bunch of ingredients from the chemistry teacher when I was twelve and got away with it. When I was thirteen, I helped rescue an escaped convict who was actually innocent. My fourth year at school, there were several articles written about how I was this incredible whore. Ooh, when I was fifteen, I led the formation of an underground organization to basically overthrow this awful teacher. I mean, that's not all that happened at my old school. That's just the gist of it," she finished with a shrug before looking at her friends who just gazed at her in shock.

"Holy shit. You are _the_ badass," Tina murmured in awe.

"I am so turned on by you right now," Brittany told her with a wink, earning a glare from her fellow Cheerios.

"Guys, it's really not that big of a deal," Hermione chuckled. "We need to get back to these costumes though." They shook their heads at the indifference she was showing to her actions at her old school and resumed working.

"Wait, something's definitely wrong. Why isn't Rachel talking?" Tina questioned.

"Yeah, she should totally bossing us around right now," taunted the blonde dancer, earning a few snickers from the others.

"The idea of the assignment is to do the opposite of what we normally do. I'm just trying to stick to the lesson plan which is proving nearly impossible since you're gluing those sequins on backwards!" Rachel shrieked causing the girls to roll their eyes as Hermione stood up and moved to sit next to the diva.

"Rachel, calm down. I do appreciate your artistic insight and you are simply beautiful to watch. You're just so bloody talented, but every now and then, you need to try and let others attempt to shine just as brightly as you do," she told her genuinely, earning a full-blown grin from the short brunette.

"That's one of the nicest things anyone's ever said to me!" She squealed, throwing her arms around the British girl, almost knocking her off of her chair in the process.

"Damn, no wonder she got all the ladies back in England," Puck muttered to Artie as he pushed him over to Brittany.

"Spies!" Rachel yelled accusingly, pulling away from the taller girl.

"Relax, Artie here just wants to talk to Brittany," the football player replied with a roll of his eyes. As the boy in the wheelchair asked the ditzy blonde out, Rachel turned back towards Hermione.

"Do you want my solo for the mash-up?"

"Are—are you serious?" The older girl spluttered, eyes wide.

"Yeah, you deserve it," smiled the diva.

"Thanks," she answered sheepishly. "I really don't know what to say."

"Say that you'll take it," encouraged Rachel with a playful grin.

The next day, the female members of New Directions were preparing for their big performance in Mr. Schue's office. Once the music started, they gave Hermione a reassuring look before strutting out.

"_**Start me up,**__**  
><strong>__**Start me up.**_"

"**Tommy used to work on the docks.****  
><strong>**Union's been on strike.****  
><strong>**He's down on his luck...it's tough, so tough.**"

Hermione sang as she danced up to the front of the room before moving to dance up against the guitar player. As the group began singing all together, the British girl joined the rest of the girls on the risers.

"_**We've got to hold on ready or not.**_  
><strong>You live for the fight when it's all that you've got.<strong>  
><em><strong>Start me up.<strong>_  
><em><strong>We're half way there.<strong>__**  
><strong>__**Oh, livin' on a prayer.**_"

"_Start me up,__  
><em>_Kick on the starter, give it all you got, you got, you got.__  
><em>_I can't compete with the riders in the other heat.__  
><em>_I make a grown man cry.__  
><em>_I make a grown man give it a shot._"

Mercedes belted out from in front of the group as the girls began dancing suggestively around their microphone stands.

"_**Start me up,**__**  
><strong>__**We're half way there.**__**  
><strong>__**Oh, livin' on a prayer,**__**  
><strong>_**Livin' on a prayer.**"

Hermione sang out as Brittany and Tina held the microphone stand above her head before they all began dancing by the band.

"_**We've got to hold on ready or not**__**  
><strong>_**You live for the fight when it's all that you've got****  
><strong>_**We're half way there**__**  
><strong>__**Livin' on a prayer**__**  
><strong>__**Take my hand and we'll make it - I swear**__**  
><strong>__**Livin' on a prayer**__**  
><strong>__**Start me up.**_"

The group finished, their backs facing the boys, to thunderous applause.

"That was great, ladies!" Mr. Schue praised happily. "Looks like you've got some serious competition, guys." He was going to continue when Becky ran in with a note from Coach Sylvester telling him to go to the auditorium.

"You were great, Hermione!" Rachel told her, honesty shining in her eyes.

"Thanks, Rachel. And thank you for giving me your solo," she replied with a dazzling smile. The other girl beamed and threw her arms around her before going over to Finn.

"You're quite the charmer, aren't you?" Came the familiar voice of the fiery Latina.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," the older girl rushed out.

"Puck told me about your past sexcapades," she murmured huskily into the taller girl's ear.

"I'm not like that anymore," Hermione answered with a sigh, moving away from the cheerleader.

"Well, that's a bummer," the raven-haired girl answered with a wink, looking her up and down. "By the way, you really do look amazing in leather."

"Hey you," Quinn spoke with a smile, walking up to the two and linking her arm with Hermione's. "Santana," she growled. The brown-eyed Cheerio scoffed and stalked off.

"I never got to tell you how fabulous you look today," the British girl muttered before kissing the hazel-eyed girl on the cheek. She felt her phone buzz and pulled it out. "Shit. I've gotta go, love. Somebody needs me."

"Ok, be careful. Text me when you can," the blonde spoke softly before kissing her gently on the lips, unaware that someone was watching their interaction. Hermione smiled and hurried out the door. She ran to the boys' locker room only to find Kurt rocking back and forth, tears streaming down his face.

"Honey, what happened?" She inquired gently, wrapping her arms around the distraught boy.

"K-Karaofsky…kissed me after I stood up to him," he choked out.

"I'll kill him," the British girl growled out while standing up.

"No, don't. Just don't leave me alone right now. Please?" The brown-haired boy begged, pulling her back down.

"Ok," she sighed, embracing her friend yet again. After a few moments, she broke the silence. "Do you want to go meet Blaine for coffee and then we can talk about what we should do?" She offered. The blue-eyed boy nodded and let Hermione help him up. They met up with the lead Warbler and decided that the three of them would confront the football player at school the next day.

"Just let us do the talking, ok?" Blaine told Kurt as they walked up a set of stairs. He nodded his head and pointed, fear shining in his eyes.

"There he is."

"We've got your back," the British girl muttered, squeezing his shoulder gently.

"Excuse me," the Warbler said calmly.

"Hey, homos. This your boyfriend, Lady Face?" Karofsky mocked menacingly.

"We would like to talk to you about something," Hermione interrupted, stepping in between the guys.

"I gotta go to class," he spat, shoving past the singers.

"Kurt told us what you did," Blaine called out to his retreating form.

"Oh, yeah? What's that?"

"You kissed me," Kurt said, speaking at last.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"It seems like you might be a little confused and that's totally normal. This is a very hard thing to come to terms with. And you should just know that you're not alone," the British girl informed him, reverting back to her know-it-all voice.

"Do not mess with me," Karofsky snarled as he charged at Hermione and roughly shoved her into the nearby fence.

"You have got to stop this!" Kurt shrieked as he and Blaine shoved him off the teenage girl. The jock rolled his eyes and stormed off.

"Well, he's not coming out any time soon," Blaine stated, sarcastically. Hermione nodded in agreement and looked at Kurt who sat down on a step.

"I'll leave you two alone to talk. Call me if you need me, alright?" Her male companions nodded and waved to her as she walked off. She turned to look at them one last time and couldn't help but smile. Those two were going to be good for each other, she just knew it.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Song was a mash-up of the Rolling Stone's "Start Me Up" and Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer". I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm looking forward to the next couple of chapters, so I might upload another one later today for shits and giggles. **


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I'm pretty sure this is my longest chapter thus far, ha. Once again, thank you to all of the people who have added this story to the favorites/alerts!**

**For the song in this chapter, lines "like this" are sung by Hermione, lines "**_like this_**" are sung by Sam, and lines "_like this_" are sung by both Hermione and Sam.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 18~<strong>

**_Previously: _**_"Do not mess with me," Karofsky snarled as he charged at Hermione and roughly shoved her into the nearby fence._

_"You have got to stop this!" Kurt shrieked as he and Blaine shoved him off the teenage girl. The jock rolled his eyes and stormed off._

_"Well, he's not coming out any time soon," Blaine stated, sarcastically. Hermione nodded in agreement and looked at Kurt who sat down on a step._

_"I'll leave you two alone to talk. Call me if you need me, alright?" Her male companions nodded and waved to her as she walked off. She turned to look at them one last time and couldn't help but smile. Those two were going to be good for each other, she just knew it._

"Will, are you ok?" Hermione asked warily, poking her uncle in the stomach. He gave her a blank stare before muttering something about going to the nurse. A few minutes later, he returned to grab his things.

"Mia, I'm going home sick. You might wanna find somewhere else to stay until I'm better," he grumbled before patting her on the top of her head. "Your hair is soft like a puppy."

"Uh, ok, Will, feel better! Call me if you need anything," the brunette called out to him before turning around with a frown.

"Hermione, you can stay with me. My parents are out of town and I hate staying there by myself," Santana informed her casually. The British girl looked at her warily, forcing the raven-haired girl to sigh. "I promise I won't try anything."

"Ok then," the wavy-haired brunette finally answered with a smile. As they finished their conversation, Rachel walked up to the front of the room and wrote "me" on the whiteboard.

"Class, in Mr. Schuester's absence, I'd like to go around and ask everyone what solos they'd like to hear _me _perform at Sectionals." The group groaned before Santana stood up, muttering angrily in Spanish and trying to charge at the now screaming diva. Thanks to her quick reflexes from the war, Hermione jumped up and grabbed the Latina around the waist to prevent her from attacking the short brunette.

Several minutes later, the students exited the room, disgruntled with Rachel and her need to be the constant center of attention. As she was packing up her stuff, Hermione tried to talk to Quinn, but the blonde just ignored her.

"Ready to go?" The Latina asked her quietly, noticing the exchange.

"Uh, yeah," the British girl replied distractedly. "Listen, there's something you should know and after I tell you, you might want to reconsider letting me stay with you." Santana gave her a confused look. "I have these really bad nightmares every night and I wake up screaming the majority of the time…"

"It's ok, I promise. I want you to stay with me," the brown-eyed cheerleader told her genuinely.

"I really don't understand you, Santana Lopez. One moment, you're bitching me out and the next second, you're the sweetest person I've ever met." The dark haired girl shrugged playfully before grabbing the taller girl's hand and dragging her to the parking lot.

They drove to Hermione and Will's apartment, so she could pack up a few things before heading to the Lopez household. Once they reached Santana's house, the two stared awkwardly at each other for a few moments before the younger girl broke the silence.

"Um, there's a shower upstairs to the right if you want to get Mr. Schue's germs off of you," she chuckled uncomfortably.

"That sounds perfect actually. Thank you," Hermione smiled before walking up the stairs. "Just don't sneak in and try to grope me!" She yelled out over her shoulder.

"You wish, Granger!" The Latina called back before taking a deep breath, trying to get all thoughts of the beautiful British girl out of her mind. She sighed before turning on the TV and pulling out some homework. She was so caught up in her schoolwork that she failed to notice Hermione moving up behind her.

"Wow, who knew, Santana Lopez was actually a nerd." The Cheerio leapt up, placing a hand over her heart.

"Ay dios mio! You scared the shit outta me, Granger!" She shrieked before throwing a pillow at the laughing girl who eventually sat the raven-haired girl back down so they could finish their homework. Once they were finished, Santana offered to cook some dinner.

"You can cook?" Hermione asked disbelievingly.

"Yes, I can cook," the Latina smirked as she headed to the kitchen. "You stay in there, I'll call you when it's ready."

About an hour later, Hermione and Santana were sitting at the kitchen table. As the wavy-haired brunette took her first bite, the slightly shorter girl watched her apprehensively.

"Oh, bloody hell, this is delicious!" Hermione praised, letting out a small moan. The cheerleader shivered at the sound before regaining her composure.

"Always the tone of surprise?" She teased before returning to her own plate of food.

Several hours later, Santana noticed her companion attempting to stifle a yawn. She smiled at the older girl's adorableness before pulling her off of the couch.

"C'mon, someone needs to go to bed," the raven-haired girl laughed as she led her up the stairs. "Uh, do you wanna sleep with me in my bed or sleep down the hall?"

"I'm sure Quinn would want me to sleep down the hall…" Hermione muttered with a small frown.

"Is everything ok with you guys? Ever since the mash-up, she's been acting weird towards you."

"I don't know what I did," the British girl murmured sadly. "I really tried not to screw this up. I mean, I know we weren't official or anything, but still…I care about her so much." The Latina decided not to say anything about Quinn's history with relationships and merely hugged the girl, ignoring the way her heart started fluttering.

"Just give her time. I'm sure it has nothing to do with you," Santana spoke encouragingly.

"Thanks, San," Hermione replied with a small smile. "I guess I'll see you in the morning. Sweet dreams." After she walked into the other room, Santana let out the breath she had been holding in.

"This girl is going to be the death of me," she grumbled to herself before throwing herself onto the bed. A few hours had passed and the cheerleader was having no luck falling asleep. Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream rang out and Santana jumped out of bed and ran to the other girl. She shook Hermione gently, trying to wake the thrashing girl up.

"C'mon, princesa, please wake up. I won't let anything happen to you," Santana whispered frantically. The wavy-haired brunette shot up and jumped back when she saw the figure hovering over her.

"Don't hurt me!" She cried out, trying to push Santana back.

"Hermione, it's me, Santana. Please calm down. I won't hurt you." Those words seemed to snap the British girl out of her panic.

"Oh, my god. I am so sor—"

"Don't apologize," Santana interrupted softly. "Now come on, you're sleeping with me tonight. Quinn doesn't have to know." The older girl followed her reluctantly and climbed into bed with the Latina, who instantly wrapped her arms around her. Hermione sighed contentedly and buried herself deeper into the other girl's embrace.

* * *

><p>The next afternoon in glee, Hermione walked into the choir room to find Puck spreading butter all over the floor. She rolled her eyes at her friend's behavior and sat down. Seconds later, a tall, blonde woman slid smoothly over the buttered floor much to the shock of the New Directions.<p>

"Let's start with some introductions. My name is Holly Holliday. What's yours? Go." Hermione zoned out as soon as the rest of her peers began giving the substitute the wrong names. "Those aren't your names. You know why I know that?"

"You're psychic?" Brittany asked in awe.

"I know this because I recently watched a video of you guys performing at Regionals, where you came in last. Maybe it's because the songs were about thirty years old." She paused. "Wait a sec, who are you?" She asked pointing at Hermione, who was trying not to fall asleep.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, I'm Hermione Granger."

"Ooh, totally digging the accent, girlie. Can you play?" Miss Holliday asked excitedly.

"Sure. Which instrument?" The brown-eyed girl asked, while stretching a bit.

"Piano?" The British girl nodded and stood up. The teacher walked up to her and whispered something into her ear. Hermione grinned and sat at the piano before beginning the familiar intro to Cee Lo's _Forget You_. Pretty soon, the entire glee club had joined Miss Holliday. After they finished the song, the substitute shouted, "Let's go get some tacos!" Hermione continued to sit at the piano as the group quickly hurried after the woman.

"You ok?" A male voice called out from the door.

"Oh, hey, Sam, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked, happy to see the boy.

"I heard you guys performing _Forget You_ and thought I'd pay you a visit," he told her with a smile. "I've got good news!"

"Yeah? Did you get your paper back on _1984_?" He nodded enthusiastically and pulled the paper out of his backpack and handed it to her. "A B+? Congrats, Sammy! I'm so proud of you!" She praised before jumping up and hugging him.

"Thanks," he muttered sheepishly. "I couldn't have done it without you, you know."

"Hey, you did most of the work, I just helped you a little bit."

"Give yourself more credit, Herms," he murmured, tightening his hold on the shorter girl before pulling away and studying her. "Are you ok? You look like you haven't been sleeping well."

"That's because I haven't…" Hermione responded with a sigh.

"Well, let's play something. Grab that guitar over there," Sam said to her as he pulled his own guitar out of its case. She did as she was asked and was unable to stifle her laughter when the blonde boy began playing a Taylor Swift song. She joined in, and after a few seconds, the football player began singing.

"_You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset.__  
><em>_She's going off about something that you said.__  
><em>_She doesn't get your humor like I do._

"_I'm in the room, it's a typical Tuesday night.__  
><em>_I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like.__  
><em>_And she'll never know your story like I do._"

He batted his eyelashes while putting his head on the girl's shoulder. The British girl rolled her eyes playfully and began singing the chorus.

"**But she wears short skirts, I wear t-shirts.****  
><strong>**She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers.****  
><strong>**Dreaming 'bout the day when you wake up and find,****  
><strong>**That what you're lookin' for has been here the whole time.**

"**If you could see that I'm the one who understands you****  
><strong>**Been here all along so why can't you see?****  
><strong>**You belong with me.****  
><strong>**You belong with me.**"

Hermione swung her guitar behind her and pointed to Sam before placing her hands over her heart and walking around the blonde boy in a circle.

"_Walkin' the streets with you in your worn out jeans,__  
><em>_I can't help thinking this is how it ought to be.__  
><em>_Laughing on the park bench thinkin' to myself,__  
><em>_Hey, isn't this easy?_

"_And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town.__  
><em>_I haven't seen it in a while, since she brought you down.__  
><em>_You say you find I know you better than that.__  
><em>_Hey, whatcha doing with a girl like that?_"

Sam pouted dramatically as he finished the verse, much to the amusement of the wavy-haired brunette.

"**She wears high heels, I wear sneakers.****  
><strong>**She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers.****  
><strong>**Dreaming 'bout the day when you wake up and find****  
><strong>**That what you're looking for has been here the whole time.**"

At this point, Hermione couldn't help but get really into the performance, so she faced the boy, winked, and put her hands on his shoulders before singing the next part.

"**If you could see that I'm the one who understands you.****  
><strong>**Been here all along, so why can't you see?****  
><strong>**You belong with me.**

"**Standin' by, waiting at your back door.****  
><strong>**All this time how could you not know that?****  
><strong>**You belong with me.****  
><strong>**You belong with me.**"

"_Oh, I remember you driving to my house in the middle of the night.__  
><em>_I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're about to cry.__  
><em>_I know your favorite songs and you tell me about your dreams.__  
><em>_I think I know where you belong. I think I know it's with me._"

Sam gave her a haughty look and puffed out his chest, earning a giggle from his friend before she began singing once again.

"**Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you?****  
><strong>**Been here all along, so why can't you see?****  
><strong>**You belong with me.**

"**Standing by or waiting at your back door.****  
><strong>**All this time how could you not know that,****  
><strong>**You belong with me.****  
><strong>**You belong with me.**"

"_**Have you ever thought just maybe**__**  
><strong>__**You belong with me.**__**  
><strong>__**You belong with me.**_"

After the two finished the song, both were laughing hysterically.

"Thanks, Sammy, I needed that," she told him honestly. He simply shrugged and put the two guitars away. "You really should join glee!"

"Maybe I will once you give me a reason to," he teased. The brunette rolled her eyes and swatted his arm, causing the quarterback to lift her over his shoulder.

"Uh, I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Santana questioned enviously.

"Blimey, Lopez, have you forgotten that I'm a lesbian?" Hermione called out. Sam put her down quickly.

"You are?" He gasped out melodramatically, before placing his hand over his heart.

"This is why we are friends," the British girl smiled fondly at the blonde boy before wrapping her arms around him again. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sam!" She called out over her shoulder while dragging away a confused Latina.

"So…who was that?" Growled the raven-haired Cheerio.

"Jealous, Lopez?" Teased Hermione, as she linked their arms together.

"No! I just—he—I'm—here, I brought you tacos," Santana grumbled out, earning a smirk from the wavy-haired brunette.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Song was T-Swift's "You Belong With Me".**

**Are y'all still more for Quinn/Hermione than Santana/Hermione? (This is me trying to-and probably failing to-sway your opinion, haha.)**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Whoa, it's been a few days. Sorry about that. The holiday, shopping, and The Big Bang Theory kind of took over my life for a few days. Anyway! I hope I don't anger some people with this chapter, but I felt I needed some drama, so here we go...**

**kjmb: Thank you! I'm glad someone approves!**

**Raynee Dae: I agree. There is so much Hermione/Quinn and I wanted to do something different. And thank you :)**

**harrybrandybuck: I'm glad you're enjoying it! I really hope this chapter doesn't make you stop reading :P**

**Smalville-HarryPotterfan13: Thanks! And I have the perfect way to incorporate an actual Harry interaction into the story, but it's going to be a few more chapters, so please me patient with me! It's going to be perfect, I swear! :)**

**LauraFlowi: Hello and thank you! I'm glad you're back to reading :) I hope this is living up to your expectations!**

**And thank you once again to everyone who has added this story as a favorite/alert. Y'all are fabulous.**

**Ok, enough of my rambling. **

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 19~<strong>

_**Previously: **__"Blimey, Lopez, have you forgotten that I'm a lesbian?" Hermione called out. Sam put her down quickly._

_"You are?" He gasped out melodramatically, before placing his hand over his heart._

_"This is why we are friends," the British girl smiled fondly at the blonde boy before wrapping her arms around him again. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sam!" She called out over her shoulder while dragging away a confused Latina._

_"So…who was that?" Growled the raven-haired Cheerio._

_"Jealous, Lopez?" Teased Hermione, as she linked their arms together._

_"No! I just—he—I'm—here, I brought you tacos," Santana grumbled out, earning a smirk from the wavy-haired brunette._

A few nights later, Santana was lying next to Hermione, trying to build up enough courage to ask the older girl about her nightmares from that first night.

"Go ahead and say what's on your mind, Lopez. You're making it difficult for me to fall asleep," Hermione grumbled with her eyes closed. Santana rolled over quickly, her eyes wide.

"…did you just read my mind?"

"Of course not. That's just ridiculous."

"Fine. What are your nightmares about?" The raven-haired Cheerio inquired softly. The British girl sighed and opened her eyes, turning to face the younger girl.

"Do you really want to know?" The Latina nodded. "I'm just scared it'll make you look at me differently…"

"Hermione, I just want to get to know you. I mean, you have been sleeping in my bed and eating my fabulous cooking for the past couple of nights," Santana teased fondly.

"Playing that card, Lopez?" The wavy-haired brunette growled playfully, before turning serious. "They're mostly about this incredibly vile woman. She's the most loyal follower of this really horrible man called Tom Riddle who led many terrorist attacks on hundreds of innocent people. I, along with several others, were part of this underground fighting force that tried to stop them. I was searching for the keys to finally destroying him with my friends when something went wrong…" She paused and took a deep breath. "We got separated and I got captured. They took me straight to their headquarters and immediately began torturing me for information. I didn't cave in the four weeks I was there and that only angered them more. I was basically given to _her _after that first night and she did some awful things to me…" Hermione trailed off, wiping a few stray tears away.

"You don't have to go in to detail right now if you don't want to. I understand," the dark-eyed girl murmured, throwing her arm around the other girl's waist and pulling her close.

"Thank you, San," the British teen answered quietly, with an affectionate smile before drifting off into a peaceful slumber.

The next morning, Hermione got a text from Will saying that he was returning to school and she couldn't help but squeal, waking up her companion in the process.

"What's the matter?" The Latina inquired groggily, tightening her hold on the older girl.

"Will's coming back today!"

"Oh, um, well, that's great," the Cheerio replied with a forced smile, disappointed that the older girl was going to be going home tonight.

"Are you ok?" The wavy-haired brunette asked worriedly, leaning over her with concern shining in her eyes.

"Yeah, of course. C'mon, let's get ready for school," Santana muttered dejectedly as she dragged herself out of bed.

Once at school, the British girl decided to finally corner the captain of the Cheerios while she was at her locker. She hastily turned the corner and took a deep breath before walking up to the hazel-eyed girl.

"Quinn Fabray, what the hell is going on with you? You haven't talked to me for almost two weeks now," she murmured angrily. The blonde scoffed before slamming her locker to turn and face the other girl.

"Do you know what people are saying about me?" Quinn spat viciously, startling Hermione. "They are saying that being a dyke is worse than being knocked up!" Her statement caused their fellow students to fall silent and stare at the two girls.

"Uh, guys, what's—" Mike began as the rest of the New Directions joined him in the hallway.

"Who's saying that? Karofsky? What does he know about anything?" The brown-eyed girl responded exasperatedly, throwing her arms up in the air. "Why do you care so much about what other people think of you? Isn't your happiness worth more than your stupid reputation?"

"You don't get it! Popularity is everything around here and I'm not going to have my reputation tarnished again all because of you! Someone saw you take advantage of me after our mash-up! The next time you try to molest me, I will not hesitate to go to Principal Sue, so just stay the hell away from me!" The head cheerleader shrieked, causing several jaws to drop.

"Quinn, in case you've forgotten, you were the one who came to _me_. It was not the other way around! I was perfectly fine with our friendship the way it was until you wanted to take it to the next step."

"No, that's bullshit. You must have done something to make me so confused! Everything was fine until you showed up and pounced on me like an animal in heat like the whore that you are!" Hermione looked like she had gotten slapped across the face.

"Who are you and what have you done with the girl that I was slowly falling in love with?" She muttered sadly as a few tears trickled down her face. The British girl looked at Quinn one last time before walking away. The hazel-eyed girl looked around to her fellow glee club members who were glaring at her, disappointment shining in their eyes.

"I knew you could be cruel, Quinn, but that was low even for you," Rachel spoke evenly before hurrying after the distraught brunette.

"Quinn, what happened to you? She was changing you for the better."

"I don't want to hear it, Mercedes," the blonde Cheerio snapped as she stormed off to class.

Meanwhile, in another part of the school, Will had just been informed that Sue was firing him. He stood there, frozen in place until someone collided with him and hugged him tightly. He looked down and smiled slightly.

"Hey, Mia, everything ok?" He questioned, concern evident in his tone.

"For the most part, Will. I just…really, really missed you," Hermione responded quietly burying herself further into his warm embrace.

"It's only been a few days, sweetheart."

"I know, but I really needed one of your hugs." He hugged her back, wondering what on earth had upset his niece this much.

"You just wanna go home and watch some movies?"

"Are you suggesting I skip school, Mr. Schuester?" The British girl asked, feigning shock.

"It's only one day," the curly-haired man responded with a shrug. "Besides, I'm still not feeling too great and I just got some bad news…" He put his arm around her and led her out of the building.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Hermione, I need your help," a voice called out warily the next day at school.<p>

"What do you want, Miss Holliday?" The British girl snarled before slamming her locker and whipping around to face the taller woman.

"Look, I know you're pissed at me for taking over your uncle's job, but I need to talk to him," the blonde woman begged.

"Fine. Get in your car and follow me home, but if you get lost, I'm not helping you." They drove for several minutes before they pulled into the parking garage of Will's building and made their way upstairs. "Will, I'm home!"

"Hey, Mia," he called out before coming into view. "What is she doing here?" The hazel-eyed man sighed.

"She said she needed your help or something like that," Hermione answered with a roll of her eyes. "Now if you two don't mind, I'm going to go start my homework before more drama occurs." The two adults chuckled before grabbing some beer and sitting on the couch. Hermione was quietly reading her history book while the two teachers chatted when she suddenly heard an all too familiar voice.

"Wow, Will. I mean, wow."

"What are you doing here? You should've called," Will addressed her, frustration clear in his tone.

"I brought you more soup, but I guess baby is feeling a lot better if he's healthy enough to have a beer with a friend," the voice mocked angrily.

"No, no, I—hi, I'm Holly Holliday," the substitute teacher managed to get out.

"Are you a porn star or a drag queen? I'm Terri Schuester, Will's wife," the older woman snarled.

"Wow. Your wife's kind of a bitch."

"Ex-wife," Hermione chuckled, walking into the room.

"What are you doing here?" Shrieked Terri, looking appalled at her ex-husband's niece.

"Well, I moved in with Will after my parents were killed if you must know," she informed the woman. "Will, please tell me you didn't do what I think you did."

"Last night was a mistake, I knew it as soon as it happened. I was lonely and you were there." In the background, Hermione made gagging noises, much to the amusement of Holly.

"I'm sorry. I'm just really out of control right now and I'm gonna come back," Terri mumbled frantically as she moved towards the door.

"Terri, don't. Don't come back," the choir director informed her sternly.

"Yeah, don't come back, you bloody wench," Hermione shouted at her retreating form, earning a snicker from the blonde woman.

"You're going to regret this, Will. Both of you are!" She screamed back before slamming the apartment door.

"Well, she's a real charmer," Holly finally said, causing Will and Hermione to begin laughing.

The next afternoon in glee, the group exploded into thunderous applause when Mr. Schue walked in.

"Alright, alright. Thank you very much, guys. Please, please sit down. Thank you for that and for all the kind words you said about me to Sue. The feelings are mutual. Now, we've gotta get crackin' though. We lost a few days there and it's all gonna be about focus and hard work for the next couple of days." Hermione chose this moment to shuffle in reluctantly.

"Well, Mia, how nice of you to join us," the curly-haired man said sarcastically.

"Sorry, Will. I didn't really want to attend class today," she mumbled before sitting next to a very distracted Kurt. Will gave her a confused look before passing out the sheet music for _Singin' in the Rain_. He gazed upon his lackluster students and knew what he had to do.

"Hang tight, guys. I'm going to go get someone who can help get you guys pumped for this." As soon as he exited the room, Santana moved to sit next to the British girl.

"Hey, how are you holding up?" The Latina asked gently.

"I'm fine. I mean, I've been through worse. There are so many rumors circulating about me now though and I've started getting constantly harassed by Karofsky and the rest of the jocks again," Hermione stated emotionlessly. "I guess you can see why I avoid relationships. They always end so bloody horribly." The raven-haired girl turned to glare at her captain before focusing on the crestfallen girl sitting next to her.

"I'll try to get Karofsky to back off," she promised the older girl while staring at her intently. "You look exhausted. Did your nightmares come back?" Santana whispered so no one else could hear her. The British girl nodded gloomily before burying her face in her hands. "Come to my place tonight. My parents are still gone and you know how much I hate sleeping alone."

"Yeah, you are kind of a chicken," Hermione chuckled before facing the dark-eyed girl next to her. "Thank you." The Latina shrugged and bumped her shoulder gently against the wavy-haired brunette's before moving back up to sit next to Brittany.

A few seconds later, Will entered the room dragging a beaming Miss Holliday behind him. "Alright, guys, we've decided to do a mash-up of _Singin' in the Rain_ and Rihanna's _Umbrella_ for our group number this week!" The group cheered enthusiastically and immediately began working as the two teachers locked eyes and shared a smile.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Please don't hate me! Santana is my favorite character on Glee and I wanted her to get some Hermione lovin'. I mean, why should Quinn be the only girl from Glee to be paired up with Hermione? Also, I absolutely love Brittana, but for some reason, I can't really write it, so I came up with this instead. Even if you were more for Hermione/Quinn, I really hope you continue to enjoy this story because I am quite happy with where it is going :)**

**Anyway, thank you so much for reading and giving me your feedback. I really appreciate it! **


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Hello! Thank you again for all of your wonderful feedback. Y'all are truly wonderful!**

**bookfreak25: Aww, yay, I'm glad! And thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy this story :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 20~<strong>

_**Previously:**__"You look exhausted. Did your nightmares come back?" Santana whispered so no one else could hear her. The British girl nodded gloomily before burying her face in her hands. "Come to my place tonight. My parents are still gone and you know how much I hate sleeping alone."_

_"Yeah, you are kind of a chicken," Hermione chuckled before facing the dark-eyed girl next to her. "Thank you." The Latina shrugged and bumped her shoulder gently against the wavy-haired brunette's before moving back up to sit next to Brittany._

_A few seconds later, Will entered the room dragging a beaming Miss Holliday behind him. "Alright, guys, we've decided to do a mash-up of__Singin' in the Rain__and Rihanna's__Umbrella__for our group number this week!" The group cheered enthusiastically and immediately began working as the two teachers locked eyes and shared a smile._

Hermione was walking down the hall when she noticed Karofsky stalking up to Kurt. She saw the football player poke him in the chest and rip the wedding cake topper out of his hands before shoving past him. As the wavy-haired brunette hurried up to the trembling boy, so did her uncle.

"Are you ok, love?" Hermione asked him quickly. The blue-eyed boy shook his head, fear evident on his face.

"Alright, let's go to the principal," the glee teacher informed him calmly. "Mia, go to class," he ordered his niece as he ushered Kurt away. The British girl stared at them helplessly before solemnly retreating to class.

That afternoon during glee rehearsal, their teacher was running late as usual. As Hermione walked in, she noticed how distraught Kurt was looking, so she went over to kneel in front of him.

"Hon, please tell me what he said or did to you that has you this upset," the British girl questioned him softly. He eventually whispered into Hermione's ear what the jock had threatened and the brunette shot up. "His ass is mine," she growled before storming off to the boys' locker room as the group stared at her in shock.

"Guys, don't just stand there, go after her!" Rachel yelled to the other football players, who hastily got up and ran after the girl. The boys reached the locker room as Hermione slammed Karofsky's locker shut and opened her mouth to address him.

"Leave Kurt alone," she muttered darkly.

"Do you mind, homo, I'm changing."

"Like I'd be interested in what you've got," the shorter girl scoffed. He turned to walk away, but the brown-eyed girl grabbed his arm. "I'm serious, Karofsky!"

"Oh yeah?"

"From now on you're going to leave him alone," Artie called out, wheeling up behind Hermione.

"Look, if he wants to be a homo, that's up to him, but don't rub it in my face," he spat before shoving Artie into Mike causing both boys to fall to the ground.

"Karofsky, don't forget that I know your secret. Would you really want that to get out?" She asked him with a smirk before he stepped up to her and glared down at her.

"If you know what's good for you, you won't tell anyone or else I'll have to show you what it's like to be with a real man," he threatened quietly. Before anyone could react, Hermione lunged at the football player and tackled him to the ground. He shoved her off of him before they both stood up. "You're going to pay for that, bitch." He shoved her into the lockers and swung his fist around until it crashed into the girl's face. She glared at him before kneeing him in the groin causing him to collapse to the ground with a groan. Hermione got on top of him and started repeatedly hitting him in the face. He eventually gained the upper hand and flipped them over to pin her to the ground before he began throwing punches left and right. Suddenly, a door slammed open and Coach Bieste rushed in. She grabbed Karofsky off the girl and threw him into the lockers. Hermione sprang up, spat some blood on the floor, and tried lunging at him again.

"What the hell is going on here?" Bellowed the football coach as she held apart the two teens. No one said anything. "Fine. Karofsky go get cleaned up and start running laps until I tell you to stop. Hermione, you and the rest of the glee members better get back to the choir room." The male members of the New Directions led the fuming girl out of the locker room and back to glee rehearsal.

"Oh my god, what happened to you?" Rachel exclaimed as soon as they set foot into the choir room.

"Relax, I'm fine," she spoke tensely before sitting next to Santana, who pulled out a t-shirt and immediately began wiping the blood off the other girl's face.

"Brit, go get the ice pack out of the first aid kit," the dark-haired cheerleader ordered kindly. The blonde nodded and ran to retrieve the ice pack.

"You should've seen her!" Mike shouted as he put his arm around Tina. "Our girl was like a wild animal!"

"Yeah, and she totally kicked Karofsky's ass," Artie praised.

"You don't know how hard it was for me not to jump in there!" Puck shouted angrily.

"Where the hell were you, Finn?" The Latina inquired, not looking away from the British girl.

"I, uh, got held up by a teacher. I totally would've given him the beat down if I would've been there though," he spluttered, shifting uncomfortably.

"The fact is, it shouldn't have gone down without you, Finn. You should've been leading the charge."

"Lay off Finn, everyone," Kurt finally spoke up. "It isn't his problem. It's none of your problems actually. Thank you for what you did, especially Hermione."

"What's going on?" Mr. Schue inquired when he finally walked into the rom. "Mia, what happened to your face?" He cried out alarmingly.

"She stood up to Karofsky," Quinn muttered softly.

"And so did all of the other football players in glee. Well, not Finn," added Tina.

"Is everyone ok? Do we all need to go talk to Principal Sylvester?"

"Nah, I got in some pretty good shots too, so we can just call it even…for now," Hermione replied seriously. "And maybe this will send a warning to that meat-head to get him to back off Kurt." The glee director sighed and walked over to Kurt, who had opened up his wedding binder.

"Are you ok, Kurt?" The brown-haired boy nodded. "Alright, guys, let's take our places. We've got a wedding to prepare for." The group began rehearsing, but no one could focus on the choreography. "Ok, that's a wrap for today. But first thing tomorrow morning, we are going to be hard at work." As Will stood out in the hall, watching his niece walk away, Sue crept up behind him.

"She's tough, William, I like her."

"She shouldn't have done what she did though. Karofsky could have seriously hurt her."

"But he didn't. And that should tell you something." She paused. "I'm going to go now. Being this close to your hair cannot be good for my health."

Meanwhile, Hermione was walking down the hallway with Santana and Brittany.

"You are amazing, you know?" Santana finally murmured, grabbing the older girl's hand.

"No, I'm not. I lashed out irrationally. I was being stupid," the British girl replied uncomfortably. Brittany looked at her with confusion written all over her face. Santana noticed the wavy-haired brunette's discomfort and looked at her blonde friend.

"Hey, Brit, why don't you go head on out to the field. I'll be out there in a few."

"Ok, San. Bye, Hermy!" The dancer hugged each girl before bouncing off.

"I hate it when she calls me that," Hermione chuckled, watching the cheerleader walk away.

"What did Karofsky say that made you get that physical?" The Latina questioned softly.

"He, um, he said something about showing me what it was like to be with a real man and it just triggered some things from the past," the older girl answered, refusing to meet the raven-haired girl's eyes.

"Oh, princesa, come here," Santana murmured, pulling the slightly taller girl into her arms. Letting out a shaky breath, Hermione buried herself in the other girl's protective embrace.

A few days had passed and the New Directions were getting ready for Burt and Carole's wedding. Hermione slipped away from the rest of the glee club to make sure none of her scars were showing. When she reached an empty room, she sighed at her reflection in the mirror; so much had changed since she last wore this red dress. She shook her head, withdrew her wand from her purse, and reapplied the glamor charm on her left arm.

"Hermione?" A raspy voice called out from the hallway. The British girl froze before shoving her wand back into her bag.

"Hey, Santana, I didn't see you there," she spoke quickly.

"What're you doing?"

"…making sure my scars weren't showing." The Latina frowned.

"Hermione, you are gorgeous, even with your scars. Plus, you make an adorable panda," she informed her with a smirk pointing at her still prominent black eye. The wavy-haired brunette laughed and hugged the slightly shorter girl.

"You don't know how amazing you really are," Hermione murmured with a shy grin.

"Santana, Hermione, it's show time!" A voice sounded out from the doorway.

"Coming, Brit!" The British girl yelled back before releasing the other girl. "You look really beautiful today. Just thought you should know." As she walked out, the Latina couldn't help but let a genuine smile show.

After the wedding party's entrance to _Marry You,_ Hermione took her place in between Brittany and Santana. As she listened to the vows, the brunette's eyes welled up with tears as Burt and Carole told each other just how much they loved each other, reminding her so much of her own parents. Several minutes later at the reception, Hermione glumly poked the food on her plate as she watched several couples dance.

"Hermione Granger…?"

"Hm? Oh, hello, Mr. and Mrs. Hummel. Congratulations. You two are a very beautiful couple," she informed them sincerely.

"You are too sweet," Carole said to her truthfully. "But, actually Burt and I just wanted to come over and thank you for standing up for Kurt the way you did. You don't know how much that means to us."

"Oh, it was nothing, Mrs. Hummel. I just did what I knew was right."

"Well, you are a very courageous young woman. I hope you don't mind, but Kurt told us about a lot of the things you've been through. We just wanted to tell you that you are more than welcome at our home if you ever need some guidance. Carole and I both know what it's like to lose someone you love, so feel free to come and talk to us whenever you want," Burt told her warmly.

"Thank you. I don't know what to say. I mean, I love Will more than anything, but he's naïve in a lot of ways and you both remind me so much of my parents." The three continued talking for a while until someone cleared his or her throat.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: This chapter is kind of a filler chapter, so I apologize if it's not too thrilling, haha. I'm currently writing Chapter 37 (which is the first part of The Night of Neglect) and coming up with quite a few ideas if I decide to continue this story into the third season of Glee (or make it a sequel), so my brain was kind of fuzzy while I was editing/adding to this chapter.**

**Burnedx2: Thank you! You don't know how happy I am that you're glad I didn't pair Hermione with Quinn. I'm also happy that you like how I'm writing Hermione. I hope you continue to enjoy this story!**

**LauraFlowi: I love your reviews and hearing (or rather reading) your input! Thank you so much for taking the time to review almost every chapter :)**

**Beautiful-Liar13: Yes, Hermione will tell some other people that she's a witch, but I don't want to rush into it. And by others, I'm assuming you mean people from the wizarding world? I just checked and someone from Hermione's other life will appear in Chapter 25, I promise! **

**Mummification: Haha, I totally agree about Santana. Thank you so much for the review though. I'm really glad you are enjoying this story :)**

**Thanks again to everyone for their feedback!**

**Anyway, onto the chapter, enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 21~<strong>

_**Previously: **"Hermione Granger…?"_

_"Hm? Oh, hello, Mr. and Mrs. Hummel. Congratulations. You two are a very beautiful couple," she informed them sincerely._

_"You are too sweet," Carole said to her truthfully. "But, actually Burt and I just wanted to come over and thank you for standing up for Kurt the way you did. You don't know how much that means to us."_

_"Oh, it was nothing, Mrs. Hummel. I just did what I knew was right."_

_"Well, you are a very courageous young woman. I hope you don't mind, but Kurt told us about a lot of the things you've been through. We just wanted to tell you that you are more than welcome at our home if you ever need some guidance. Carole and I both know what it's like to lose someone you love, so feel free to come and talk to us whenever you want," Burt told her warmly._

_"Thank you. I don't know what to say. I mean, I love Will more than anything, but he's naïve in a lot of ways and you both remind me so much of my parents." The three continued talking for a while until someone cleared his or her throat._

"Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Hummel, but I just wanted to ask Hermione if she'd honor me with a dance."

"Oh, of course, Santana. You two have fun," Carole spoke with a knowing look directed at the two teenagers as she led a puzzled looking Burt away.

"Well, I must say, this is a surprise," laughed the British girl before she allowed herself to be pulled over to the dance floor.

"Well, you were looking kind of down, so I took it upon myself to make you feel better," Santana muttered sheepishly, while spinning the girl around.

"How did you know dancing made me feel better?" Hermione inquired with a fond smile, remembering the time Harry got her to dance that night in the tent almost a year ago. The Latina shrugged and put her hands on the other girl's waist as the wavy-haired brunette placed her arms around the younger girl's neck.

"How are you holding up with everything?" The raven-haired Cheerio finally asked as the two swayed back and forth.

"Um, well, where should I start? I'm still trying to get over Quinn and figure out what I did to screw up, I'm trying to find a way to keep Karofsky away from Kurt and the rest of us, I find myself really missing my parents especially now, and I'm feeling incredibly homesick."

"You're not leaving, are you?" Santana questioned her softly, afraid of the answer.

"No, I'm not leaving. I mean, there's no way you guys could win Sectionals without me," Hermione teased playfully.

"Ha, ha, very funny. About the whole Quinn situation though. I mean, you guys were only a thing for a few weeks and she is notorious for not really committing to anything long term, so it's not your fault at all. She's crazy for letting you go and anyone would be lucky to have you. I guess what I'm trying to say is Quinn's a bitch and you're fucking awesome," she finished lamely causing the older girl to chuckle.

"It's more of what she said to me that's got me so upset. I don't know how she heard about my past…relationships." Santana had the decency to look guilty. "I didn't even sleep around that much. Well, I guess I kind of did. But they were mostly just friends with benefits. I was always afraid of developing feelings for someone and then I met Quinn and I thought we could be something more. The more I thought about it though, the more I realized that my feelings for her were misdirected. I still cared a great deal about her though," she finished with a sigh causing the dark-eyed girl to stop suddenly.

"Wait, you said your feelings for her were misdirected? Does that mean you like someone else? Who is it?" Santana asked her rapidly.

"Well, I—" Hermione began as the song finished. "Oh, I guess it's my turn to perform now," she stated, pulling back from the other girl who began to pout. The British girl gave the Latina one last smile before moving up on stage to sit at the piano. "Alright, folks, I'm gonna take it down a notch with my version of this good ol' classic song. Mr. and Mrs. Hummel, I dedicate this to you."

"**No New Year's Day to celebrate.****  
><strong>**No chocolate covered****candy hearts ****to give away.****  
><strong>**No first of spring****.****  
><strong>**No song to sing.****  
><strong>**In fact here's just another ordinary day.**

"**No April rain.****  
><strong>**No flowers bloom.****  
><strong>**No wedding Saturday within the month of June.****  
><strong>**But what it is, is something true****.****  
><strong>**Made up of these three words that I must say to you.**

"**I just called to say I love you.****  
><strong>**I just called to say how much I care.****  
><strong>**I just called to say I love you.****  
><strong>**And I mean it from the bottom of my heart.**

"**No summer's high.****  
><strong>**No warm July.****  
><strong>**No harvest moon to light one tender August night.****  
><strong>**No****autumn breeze****.****  
><strong>**No falling leaves.****  
><strong>**Not even time for birds to fly to southern skies.**

"**No Libra sun.****  
><strong>**No Halloween.****  
><strong>**No giving thanks to all the ****Christmas joy ****you bring.****  
><strong>**But what it is, though old so new.****  
><strong>**To****fill your heart****like no three words could ever do.**

"**I just called to say I love you.****  
><strong>**I just called to say how much I care, I do.****  
><strong>**I just called to say I love you.****  
><strong>**And I mean it from the bottom of my heart.**

"**I just called to say I love you.****  
><strong>**I just called to say how much I care, I do.****  
><strong>**I just called to say I love you.****  
><strong>**And I mean it from the bottom of my heart, of my heart,****  
><strong>**Of my heart.**

"**I just called to say I love you.****  
><strong>**I just called to say how much I care, I do.****  
><strong>**I just called to say I love you.****  
><strong>**And I mean it from the bottom of my heart, of my heart,****  
><strong>**Baby, of my heart.**"

Hermione finished with a smile and stood up to bow before jumping off the stage. As soon as her feet were back on the dance floor, she immediately returned to Santana's side.

"Well, what did you think?" The wavy-haired brunette questioned shyly.

"Well, it is a kind of cheesy song to begin with, but when you performed it…it was simply spectacular," Santana replied with a look Hermione couldn't really decipher.

"Why thank you, Lopez," she replied with a smirk before strutting off confidently as the slightly shorter girl hurried after her.

"You know you never answered my question from before!" The raven-haired cheerleader called out to her, causing the other girl to turn around and face her.

"To answer your question, I do have feelings for someone else and maybe if you're lucky, you'll find out who that person is," the British girl responded with a wink as she went to go dance with Kurt leaving a speechless Latina behind.

* * *

><p>"Come on, guys, the wedding was great, but we have got to ready for Sectionals next week," Mr. Schue informed them as Kurt walked in with a dazed look in his eyes. "Oh, Kurt, I want to talk to you about this amazing idea I had for a solo for you at Sectionals."<p>

"Can I make an announcement first?" The hazel-eyed man nodded slowly. "First, I wanted to thank everyone for what you did at my dad's wedding. It's nice to know that I have great friends here as well as a true brother. Which is why this is so hard for me to leave."

"Wait, what do you mean leave?" Hermione questioned, standing up quickly.

"I'm transferring to Dalton Academy. Immediately. My parents are using the money they saved up for their honeymoon to pay for tuition," the blue-eyed boy murmured shakily.

"Kurt, you can't leave," Tina spoke disbelievingly.

"What the hell? How about you talk to me about this first?" Yelled out Finn angrily, not believing what he was hearing.

"I'm sorry, Finn, but there's nothing to talk about. Karofsky's coming back tomorrow, so that means I won't be."

"We can protect you," Mike muttered as he tried to comfort his girlfriend.

"Seriously, we could form a perimeter around you like the Secret Service," Puck suggested seriously.

"Yeah!"

"The only thing that can really protect me is what they have at Dalton, a zero tolerance no bullying policy. It's enforced."

"Does this mean that you're going to be competing against us at Sectionals?"

"Really, Berry?" Santana said with an eye roll as she gently grabbed Hermione's hand.

"Kurt…" Mercedes choked out while walking up to him.

"I'm sorry, I have to go," Kurt told them as his eyes welled up with tears before walking out the door.

"I can't believe this!"

"Calm down, Finn. I know it sucks, but Dalton will be great for him. Kurt already has friends there and the Warblers will be good to him. This is hard enough on him already and the best thing we can do is to fully support him in his decision," the British girl murmured reasonably, though a frown was evident on her face.

The next day, Hermione was walking to the library to meet Sam for their tutoring session when she came face-to-face with Karofsky.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

"What do you want, Karofsky?" Hermione groaned trying to move past the football player.

"I just wanted to give you a little gift," he sneered as he motioned for someone to come forward. "Boys, if you will go ahead and do the honors." The British girl turned around slowly and was met with three slushies to the face. "You better watch your back, London. There's more where that came from," Karofsky spat as he high-fived his fellow athletes and walked away. The wavy-haired brunette sent a quick text to Sam telling him what happened before heading to the nearest restroom. As soon as she entered, she was met with the concerned stare of one Rachel Berry.

"Oh my god, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little pissed and cold," Hermione chuckled uncomfortably.

"Will you let me help you clean up?" The little diva asked warily, afraid of rejection.

"Knock yourself out, Rach," smiled the older girl as she allowed the shorter girl to pull her over to the sink.

"I guess Karofsky really is back," Rachel muttered with a frown as she rinsed the frozen beverage from Hermione's hair.

"Yeah, but if he gives you any trouble, you let me know, ok? I don't want him messing with you again."

"That's really sweet of you," the singer told her with a large grin. "Ok, well, I think I got all of the slushie off of your face and out of your hair. You might want to get a clean shirt though. I'd offer you one of mine, but it'd probably be too small for you."

"Saying I'm fat there, Rach?"

"What! No! I'm just saying your chest is a lot bigger than mine. You have a very lovely body, in fact. If I were into girls, I'd totally try to 'tap that'," Rachel rambled, turning a light shade of pink.

"Relax, love," laughed Hermione. "I'm just kidding. My friend should be bringing me a shirt though." As soon as she said that, a knock sounded from the other side of the door. "Speak of the devil," smirked the British girl as she walked over to the door. "Hey, Sammy, thank you for the shirt. Now get back to the library, we have a paper to write!"

"Yes, Herms," the blonde boy groaned with a playful roll of his eyes. Hermione closed the door and quickly whipped off her shirt before throwing on the t-shirt Sam had brought her. As she looked herself over in the mirror, she turned to face the diva.

"Hey, Rach, would you like to come with me to the Lima Bean after school? I wanted to meet up with Kurt and Blaine and see how Kurt's first day went."

"I'd love to!" The other girl squealed as she threw her arms around the wavy-haired brunette.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Song was "I Just Called to Say I Love You" by Stevie Wonder. **

**The next chapter is the first part of Special Education, so that means Sectionals is descending upon us. I don't know when I'll be able to update again because I have exams next week and I should be getting my Lord of the Rings Extended Edition Blu-ray box set any day now :P**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Hello, my loves! I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out, but exams and my family holding me hostage prevented me from updating when I wanted to. I'm on break now, so I should be able to get another chapter up tomorrow or the day after. Thanks again for all of the feedback!**

**Mummification: Thank you for all of the thought you put into your review! I really love writing the Hermione/Santana scenes and there are plenty more in the future, ha. **

**LauraFlowi: Thank you! I'm trying to choose a wide array of songs throughout the story and I hope you continue to enjoy the selections :)**

**Enjoy! **

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 22~<strong>

_**Previously:**__ "Saying I'm fat there, Rach?"_

_"What! No! I'm just saying your chest is a lot bigger than mine. You have a very lovely body, in fact. If I were into girls, I'd totally try to 'tap that'," Rachel rambled, turning a light shade of pink._

_"Relax, love," laughed Hermione. "I'm just kidding. My friend should be bringing me a shirt though." As soon as she said that, a knock sounded from the other side of the door. "Speak of the devil," smirked the British girl as she walked over to the door. "Hey, Sammy, thank you for the shirt. Now get back to the library, we have a paper to write!"_

_"Yes, Herms," the blonde boy groaned with a playful roll of his eyes. Hermione closed the door and quickly whipped off her shirt before throwing on the t-shirt Sam had brought her. As she looked herself over in the mirror, she turned to face the diva._

_"Hey, Rach, would you like to come with me to the Lima Bean after school? I wanted to meet up with Kurt and Blaine and see how Kurt's first day went."_

_"I'd love to!" The other girl squealed as she threw her arms around the wavy-haired brunette._

Several days later, Hermione walked into the choir room and murmured a warm greeting to her uncle before settling down in between Santana and Brittany. Before she could speak to either girl, Rachel began talking to Will.

"Mr. Schuester, I have selected the perfect moving ballad for me and Finn to sing to launch our performance at Sectionals," she notified him with a large smile as the group groaned.

"Me first. Two things: first our competition at Sectionals are your classic stool choirs. Great voices, but they don't move. Now, if we're gonna beat them, we're need to do what they can't—dance. Which is why I've decided to feature Brittany and Mike Chang's sweet moves in our performance," the choir director informed the two dancers with an exuberant grin as everyone clapped happily.

"Wait, they're gonna dance in front of me while I sing my solo?"

"You're not getting a solo for this competition, Rachel."

"Finally! So what song do I get to sing?" Mercedes questioned enthusiastically.

"I was thinking that the winners of our duets competitions would get the leads." Hermione turned around and saw Quinn's horrified expression and begrudgingly raised her hand. "Yes, Mia?"

"Will, as honored as I am for this opportunity, I'm going to have to turn you down." The entire group, including the head cheerleader, gasped. "But if it's alright with you, I'd like to pick my replacement."

"Hmm, alright, Mia, I have no problem with that. Who is it?"

"Well, you don't know him, but I can go fetch him really quickly if you'd like."

"Ok, go get him." Hermione nodded and hurried out of the room and into the boys' locker room looking for a familiar head of blonde hair.

"Sam! I need you to do me a huge favor."

"Well, it's the least I can do. What did you need?" The football player responded with a kind smile.

"For you to join glee and sing a duet with Quinn at Sectionals," she rushed out.

"Wait. Quinn as in head cheerleader Quinn Fabray?" He asked cautiously, a goofy grin appearing on his face.

"Yes, that Quinn," she grumbled. "Will you do it?"

"Sure," Sam answered with a smile.

"Ok, excellent, let's go," the older girl ordered, dragging the boy out of the locker room and down the hall. She hastily pulled him into the choir room. "Guys, this is Sam Evans. Sam, meet the rest of the New Directions."

"Well, you're cute, but can you sing?" Mercedes inquired warily.

"Yes, he can. He has a great voice and it would sound amazing with Quinn's," the brunette growled, threatening someone to challenge her.

"Ok, ok, Mia, calm down. Welcome to the New Directions, Sam Evans!" The blonde boy smiled and sat down next to Hermione.

"Look, I'm all for pumping up the team and making everyone feel special, but that's for practice. You don't take the star quarterback out before the big game," Finn said, breaking the silence.

"Easy to say when you're the star quarterback," muttered Tina with a roll of her eyes.

"This isn't just about me. This is about the team."

"You are such a hypocrite," Santana spat.

"Like you even know what that means," retorted Rachel.

"It means that your boyfriend is full of crap, hobbit."

"You know what, I am sick of your attitude and—" the diva snarled while standing up to glare at the Latina before being interrupted.

"Sit down, Rachel, she's not worth it," Finn whispered, trying to calm down his girlfriend before the raven-haired cheerleader attacked.

"Oh really? 'Cause that's not what—"

"Santana! Hallway now!" Hermione finally screamed. The Latina glared at her, but willingly let herself be led out into the hallway. "I don't know what your problem is, Lopez, but you are not intentionally going to ruin that relationship."

"Fine," the cheerleader finally relented. "She just gets under my skin…"

"I know she does, but you gotta learn when to stop trying to bring other people down, love."

"Yeah, yeah," the Cheerio sighed as she tightened her pony-tail. "We better get back in there before they think we're doing the nasty."

"Would that really be a bad thing?" The wavy-haired brunette questioned seductively before re-entering the choir room. A few seconds later, Santana followed the British girl and sat down with a dazed expression on her face.

"Well, this has sure been an interesting class…" Mr. Schue murmured to himself before addressing his students. "Ok, guys, this is our plan for Sectionals. We have plans for two of our songs and we'll discuss what we'll do for our third number tomorrow, alright?" Hermione walked out of the choir room, shoulders slumped, and headed to her next class, unaware of several pairs of eyes following her.

* * *

><p>The next day in rehearsal, Will couldn't help but sigh in annoyance at the selfishness of his students. He finally voiced his opinions when Rachel walked in with duct tape over her mouth.<p>

"Rachel, _what_ are you doing?" the hazel-eyed man asked exasperatedly.

"I'm not doing _anything_. You silenced my talents. I'm merely protesting. My talents are wasted in this club. My star shines too bright and I think you're threatened by it." The glee teacher angrily threw down his papers and whipped around.

"Take that off! I'm tired of this, Rachel! You have a terrible attitude. You're a lousy sport. And it is not ok anymore!"

"Well, I'm upset! I'm furious about this!" The diva yelled back, stomping her foot furiously.

"I'm sorry you're disappointed, but you know, you could also make the choice to be happy that we're a part of a glee club that is bursting at the seams with talent. There is an awful lot of 'me' talk going around. 'What's in it for me?' 'What solo am I gonna sing?' Look at what Hermione did yesterday. Yes, she may be my niece, but no one can deny that what she did was admirable. You should all have that attitude." He paused and smiled at the British girl. "When we go to Sectionals, we're going to be good sports. We'll cheer on the Hipsters, we'll cheer on Kurt and the Warblers. And if they win, we will congratulate them because that's who we are."

"Mr. Schue?" Mercedes questioned softly.

"Yes?"

"For our third song, do you think we could give Hermione a solo?" The curly-haired man smiled again.

"That's up to you guys. All in favor?" The majority of the glee club raised their hands. "Looks like you're our opening act, Mia. Any idea what you'd like to sing?" The brown-eyed girl grinned slightly and nodded. "Ok, great! Why don't you go to the auditorium and start practicing? I doubt you'll need any help." Rachel huffed and stormed out of the room.

"Ok, Will. And guys, thanks for this chance. It really means a lot to me. I won't let you down," she promised before grabbing her things and hurrying after the younger girl. "Rach, I'm sorry, ok?" Hermione called out miserably. "I don't want to lose your friendship over this. Please let me make it up to you." The shorter brunette turned around with her arms crossed before her look softened.

"I'm sorry," the diva finally murmured. "I don't take not getting my way well. Just ask my dads." Rachel paused and met the taller girl's eyes. "I never thanked you for stopping Santana from what she was going to say the other day. I really didn't want to have that discussion occur in glee."

"It wasn't her place to say. I take it Finn told you what happened between the two of them last year?" The diva nodded with a frown. "You don't have to worry about him running off or anything, you know. He loves you more than anything."

"You think so?"

"I know so. I've never had someone look at me the way he looks at you," Hermione told her with a sad smile.

"You'll find someone, Hermione. Anyone would be crazy not to fall for you. Who knows, she could be—"

"Hey, hobbit, you're not bothering her, are you?" A raspy voice called out from down the hallway.

"Of course she's not, Santana," the British girl informed the Latina with a roll of her eyes.

"I better get back to glee. I'm sure they're completely lost without me," Rachel stated dramatically before hugging Hermione and returning to the choir room.

"I don't see how you can actually enjoy her company," scoffed Santana as she pulled out a nail file.

"She's not so bad once you get to know her. I was a lot like her before I—" the wavy-haired brunette trailed off with a blush.

"Before what?" The raven-haired cheerleader questioned with a wicked smirk.

"Before I got shagged," the taller girl finished quietly.

"Somehow I knew you were going to say that," the Latina snickered.

"Well, before you begin teasing me relentlessly, I should get to the auditorium and figure out what the bloody hell I'm supposed to perform."

"You know anything that you do will be amazing," Santana murmured sincerely before returning to her normal self. "I mean, you kick ass at everything you do. This won't be any different."

"Thank you, I think," chuckled the British girl as she wrapped an arm around the Latina and began moving towards the auditorium.

"You better not make us lose, _Hermy_!" The Cheerio called out teasingly, drawing out the nickname.

"Oi. Don't forget that you're singing a solo too, Lopez!" Hermione yelled back before entering her destination. Once she made her way onto the stage, she sat at the piano and began playing. Several minutes later, a familiar voice halted her performance.

"Hey, Hermione, I've been looking for you!"

"Kurt! How are the Warblers treating you?" Hermione inquired before standing up and throwing her arms around him.

"Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. I've been offered the chance to audition for a solo!" The blue-eyed boy informed her with a smile as she sat back down at the piano.

"That's great! I was just given one myself actually," the British girl laughed uncertainly.

"My, my, my, are you nervous, my dear Hermione?" Kurt questioned playfully before sitting down next to her.

"Um, maybe a little. I'll be fine…hopefully. Enough about me though! What did you have in mind for your audition piece?"

"Well, I've settled on Celine Dion's classic _My Heart Will Go On_..."

"Oh, no, no, no, no. The Warblers are very much in love with modern pop music. If you want to wow them, you're going to have to do something they can easily get into," the wavy-haired brunette mused out loud.

"Hmm, ok, well, did you have any suggestions?" The younger boy asked excitedly.

"How 'bout _This Love_ by Maroon 5? They're huge Maroon 5 fans," the British teen informed him with a chuckle.

"Well, that is an excellent song, but do you think I can pull it off?" He murmured with a frown.

"Of course I do! You have so much talent. You _know_ that. You said you wanted to challenge yourself, right?" Kurt nodded with a small grin. "This is your chance, love!"

"Ok, ok, I'll do it!" Hermione beamed and began to help him prepare for his audition.

* * *

><p>The next afternoon, she was eagerly waiting to hear from Kurt. All of a sudden, she felt her phone buzz and couldn't help but laugh quietly when she read Blaine's text.<p>

"You told him about our weakness, didn't you? ;)"

"Maybe… Does that mean he got it?"

"Well…yes! He did a great job. We were all very impressed!"

"Yes!" Hermione squealed aloud causing the rest of her Spanish class to look at her inquisitively. "Sorry, Will, won't happen again," she said to him, turning a light shade of pink.

"Be sure that it doesn't, Mia," the curly-haired man chuckled before going back to his lesson wondering why on earth his niece was doing a happy-dance in the middle of his class.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Next chapter is Sectionals! **


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Well, after tonight's disaster of an episode, I worked incredibly hard on this chapter, so I hope y'all like it! **

**Mummification: Thank you again! I agree that Finn/Rachel are annoying, so they aren't really ever going to be a focal point (from what I can remember about the future chapters). I hope you enjoy the Santana/Hermione scenes in this chapter!**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 23~<strong>

**_Previously: _**_The next afternoon, she was eagerly waiting to hear from Kurt. All of a sudden, she felt her phone buzz and couldn't help but laugh quietly when she read Blaine's text._

_"You told him about our weakness, didn't you? ;)"_

_"Maybe… Does that mean he got it?"_

_"Well…yes! He did a great job. We were all very impressed!"_

_"Yes!" Hermione squealed aloud causing the rest of her Spanish class to look at her inquisitively. "Sorry, Will, won't happen again," she said to him, turning a light shade of pink._

_"Be sure that it doesn't, Mia," the curly-haired man chuckled before going back to his lesson wondering why on earth his niece was doing a happy-dance in the middle of his class._

Will entered his niece's room the morning of their competition to find the girl staring at a picture of her parents with a forlorn expression on her face.

"They would be so proud of you, you know," the curly-haired man murmured as he sat down next to the brown-eyed girl.

"I miss them so much, Will," Hermione cried out softly as her uncle wrapped his arms around her.

"I know you do, sweetheart. I miss them too. You do not know how much I wish I could do something to lift some of that burden off of your shoulders. You have been through far too much at such a young age," he responded with a sigh as tears filled his own eyes.

"They should've been here today," the young witch whispered brokenly, burying her face into her uncle's chest.

"You know they're watching you from wherever they are, honey. The song you picked is so beautiful and you perform it so very well."

"You think so?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Would I lie to you?"

"Yes. But that's beside the point. You need to get out, so I can get ready for this silly little competition," the wavy-haired brunette called out melodramatically as she pulled her uncle up and playfully shoved him out of the room and closed the door.

Several minutes later, Hermione exited her room wearing the silver and white dress the group had picked out for Sectionals.

"Wow, you look beautiful, Mia," Will told her genuinely as he straightened his tie. "Are you ready to go?" The girl nodded with a smile and they made their way to the car to meet up with the rest of the New Directions at the school.

* * *

><p>"And now for our second performance of the program, from Dalton Academy in Westerville, the Warblers!" Hermione beamed as the young men began singing <em>Hey, Soul Sister<em>. After they finished their first number, Hermione was the first person to jump up from her seat and cheer before everyone else joined in. Blaine winked at her and got into place for their next song. Kurt took a deep breath and stepped in front of his fellow Warblers and opened his mouth to sing Lady Gaga's _Brown Eyes_. Once he hit the last note, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause.

"We love you Kurt!" Hermione yelled with a huge smile directed at the blushing boy.

Several minutes later, the New Directions were sitting in the green room preparing for their performance. Sam was trying to comfort a panic-stricken Quinn, Artie cornered Brittany demanding to know why she cheated on him, and Hermione was pacing back and forth frantically.

"Whoa, Hermione, calm down," chuckled Puck as he put his arms on the shorter girl's shoulders. "You're going to walk a hole in the carpet. What's wrong?"

"I'm going mad. I can't do this. Rachel should be singing this solo, not me!" The British girl replied while throwing her arms up in the air.

"Rachel's had plenty of solos. Don't tell her I said this, but I think we lost Regionals last year because the judges were sick of hearing her voice. And Finn's too," he informed her with a wink while wrapping his arm around her. The two continued chatting quietly until their choir director walked in with a large smile.

"Guys, I am so proud of you. I know the past week has had a lot of ups and downs, but I want you all to think back to where you were this time last year. In this green room, no set list, no choreography, no chance in hell of winning. But you did win. Because you did it together." After the glee director finished his pep talk, the lights flickered, informing the group that they needed to get up on stage. As they all filed out of the room, Hermione became filled with terror once again. When Puck and Santana were walking out of the door, they both noticed that the wavy-haired brunette was frozen in place. The boy with the mohawk moved to approach his friend, but was stopped by the Latina murmuring that she'd go talk to her. The football player nodded knowingly before hurrying to catch up with Mike and Tina.

"Hey, you ready?" The raven-haired cheerleader asked the older girl as she walked over to her. The British girl nodded stiffly. "Are you sure…?"

"Well, this time last year, I was on the run from a terrorist organization, so this should be a piece of cake, right?" Hermione inquired nervously.

"You'll be amazing. I'm sure of it. Even though none of us know what song you're performing," Santana teased as she linked her arms with the taller girl's and led her onto the stage.

"Well, I wanted it to be a surprise. I'm sure none of you are even going to know what I'm singing," smirked the British teen.

"Ouch. Give us a little more credit than that," the Cheerio responded playfully as they finally reached their destination where the stage manager was motioning for them to hurry up.

"Bloody hell, I guess I have to get up there," whimpered Hermione.

"Good luck," the Latina murmured before embracing the trembling girl. "I know you'll make us all so proud, princesa, especially me." Hermione nodded again as Santana pulled back and took her place behind the second curtain. The wavy-haired brunette glanced at her fellow teammates, took a deep breath, and headed towards her seat at the piano. She closed her eyes and began playing as the outer curtain rose.

"**Walking up the hill tonight,****  
><strong>**When you have closed your eyes.****  
><strong>**I wish I didn't have to make****  
><strong>**All those mistakes and be wise.****  
><strong>**Please try to be patient****  
><strong>**And know that I'm still learning.****  
><strong>**I'm sorry that you have to see****  
><strong>**The strength inside me burning.**

"**But where are you my angel now?****  
><strong>**Don't you see me crying?****  
><strong>**And I know that you can't do it all,****  
><strong>**But you can't say I'm not trying.****  
><strong>**I'm on my knees in front of him,****  
><strong>**But he doesn't seem to see me.****  
><strong>**With all his troubles on his mind,****  
><strong>**He's looking****right through me****.****  
><strong>**And I'm letting myself down satisfying you.****  
><strong>**And I wish that you could see****  
><strong>**That I have my troubles too.**

"**Looking at you sleeping,****  
><strong>**I'm with the man I know.****  
><strong>**I'm sitting here weeping****  
><strong>**while the hours pass so slow.****  
><strong>**And I know that in the morning,****  
><strong>**I'll have to****let you go****.****  
><strong>**And you'll be just a man,****  
><strong>**Once I used to know.****  
><strong>**But for these past few days,****  
><strong>**Someone I don't recognize.****  
><strong>**This isn't all my fault.****  
><strong>**When will you realize?**

"**Looking at you leaving,  
>I'm looking for a sign.<strong>"

After she sang out the last note, the audience burst into deafening applause causing Hermione to smile and stand up.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are the New Directions!" The brown-eyed girl informed the crowd. As they cheering slowed down, she moved into place seconds before Sam and Quinn moved up front to sing _I've Had the Time of My Life_.

During the performance, as the remaining members danced and sang in the background, Hermione couldn't help but notice their incredible chemistry. Once the song was finished, the crowd once again began to cheer loudly for the teens and eagerly quieted down in anticipation for the group's final number. Hermione locked eyes with Santana and gave her a reassuring smile as the music started for _Valerie_. The crowd showed their appreciation for the Latina as well as the two dancers leading the group with a standing ovation and booming applause. After Santana belted out the last note, the curtain lowered and she was immediately hit by the force of Hermione throwing her arms around her.

"San, you were absolutely brilliant!" The British girl gushed as she lifted her up and spun her around in a circle.

"Me? Did you not hear yourself?" She made sure no one was listening before she continued. "You made me feel something I've never felt before," the Latina replied honestly causing the wavy-haired brunette to turn a light hue of pink .

"I wasn't that great," Hermione mumbled. "You, however, are simply stunning to watch. You become a completely different person when you perform and I love every second of it," the older girl told her sincerely while meeting her gaze. Santana gave her a rare, genuine smile and raised her hand to gently caress the other girl's cheek. They leaned in closer to each other, their lips centimeters apart, when someone coughed lightly behind them.

"What do you want, Fabray?" The dark-haired cheerleader snarled as the wavy-haired brunette pulled back slightly to turn and look at the blonde-haired girl.

"Hermione, you did a really great job. And I, um, just wanted to apologize for everything I said to you," the head cheerleader muttered shyly.

"It's ok, Quinn. You and Sam sounded great together, too. You should really try to get to know him. He may be a complete dork, but he's one of the sweetest guys you'll ever meet," Hermione told her with small smile.

"Yeah, I just might have to," the hazel-eyed girl replied, looking fondly at the blonde boy before walking back over to him. Before the British girl could say anything, the Latina spun her around quickly so they were facing each other again.

"Now where were we?" Santana questioned huskily, leaning in towards Hermione for the second time.

"Ok, guys, they're about to announce the winners!" Will shouted out to his kids as he ushered the group back onto the stage. Santana growled and began to pout, earning a chuckle from the taller girl. The New Directions gathered around each other, with Will in front, between the Warblers and the Hipsters.

"And now this year's head judge, Associate Director of the Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles, Mr. Pete Sosnowski!" The announcer called out as a balding man fumbled onto the stage.

"Thank you. And thank you all the groups who performed here today. We all had a serious good time. You know what else is a serious good time? Taking two minutes to save a life by filling out an organ donor card because it's never too late to donate," the awkward man stated with a chuckle.

"Oh, dear god," grumbled Hermione softly, making Santana snicker and squeeze her hand.

"Drumroll please. In third place, the Hipsters! And now, the winner of this year's West-Central Sectionals is…it's a tie! Congratulations, you are all going to the Regionals!" The two show choirs began jumping up and down and screaming as they hugged each other. As the New Directions were celebrating, Hermione ran over to the Warblers and gave them all a hug.

"You were wonderful, Hermione!" Blaine told her enthusiastically.

"Oh, I wasn't nearly as good as you guys," she responded sheepishly.

"Hermione! You've got to have more confidence in yourself, honey! Your performance almost brought me to tears," Kurt informed her honestly.

"Blimey, guys. I think you are both being blind to how amazing each of your performances were!" She beamed as she hugged the two yet again.

"Ahem. I believe I never got my congratulatory hug," a raspy voice murmured from behind the British girl.

"Sorry, Lopez," she replied with a roll of her eyes before pulling the Latina into her arms. "Here you go. Happy now?"

"Mmhmm," the younger girl purred, relaxing into the other girl's embrace. After a few moments, she pulled away with a satisfied smirk and walked over to Brittany who was wheeling Artie around in a celebratory circle.

"Well, well, well, this is an interesting development," Kurt mused out loud with a wicked grin.

"What the bloody hell are you going on about?" Hermione inquired while running a hand through her hair.

"You and Satan of course!" The blue-eyed boy stated with wide eyes.

"What? We're just...friends?" She answered, trying to convince herself of the validity of that statement as well as the others. "And don't call her that!"

"Just friends, eh?"

"Kurt, leave her alone," Blaine chuckled, taking in the flustered appearance of his female companion.

"I just call 'em like I see 'em," the tall boy responded with a shrug of his shoulders, before looking fondly at the shorter Warbler.

"I could do the same thing, love," Hermione teased, looking between the pair knowingly before rejoining her teammates.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Song is "The Hill" by Marketa Irglova and it is an absolutely beautiful song that I highly recommend.**

**Next chapter is the first part of "A Very Glee Christmas" and you know what that means, right? Someone from Hermione's past is going to be making an appearance soon! Once again, thank you to everyone who has given this story a chance. You all truly make my day with your reviews/favorites/alerts. **


	24. Chapter 24

**Wow, I'm awful. Sorry, about the delay. I really wanted to have this chapter up before Christmas, but alas, things were incredibly chaotic. Thanks again to everyone who's offered their feedback. You guys are phenomenal! I hope you all enjoyed the holidays! **Next chapter will be up tomorrow, I promise.****

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 24~<strong>

**_Previously: _**_"Well, well, well, this is an interesting development," Kurt mused out loud with a wicked grin._

_"What the bloody hell are you going on about?" Hermione inquired while running a hand through her hair._

_"You and Satan of course!" The blue-eyed boy stated with wide eyes._

_"What? We're just...friends?" She answered, trying to convince herself of the validity of that statement as well as the others. "And don't call her that!"_

_"Just friends, eh?"_

_"Kurt, leave her alone," Blaine chuckled, taking in the flustered appearance of his female companion._

_"I just call 'em like I see 'em," the tall boy responded with a shrug of his shoulders, before looking fondly at the shorter Warbler._

_"I could do the same thing, love," Hermione teased, looking between the pair knowingly before rejoining her teammates._

A few weeks after the New Directions' victory at Sectionals, Will found himself in the teachers' lounge looking over some papers, drinking his coffee, and trying to figure out what he could do to help his niece make it through this Christmas without too much heartache.

"Hey, Will," a familiar voice called out causing the hazel-eyed man to look up from his work.

"Hey," the choir director replied tersely, briefly glancing at Emma.

"Are we ok? You know, we haven't really talked since I told you about me and Carl. I mean, we haven't talked at all. Are you avoiding me?" The red-head asked him cautiously.

"Not at all," he answered shortly with a forced smile.

"So what are you doing for Christmas this year?" The guidance counselor questioned with a small grin.

"Just a little quiet time with Mia this year, I suppose."

"Will, you guys can't spend Christmas alone. I know it's your first Christmas without Terri, but this is Hermione's first Christmas without her parents and without the other people she considers to be her family. Look, um, Carl and I are having a big Christmas Eve party and we would love to have you two there."

"Well, thanks, Emma, that's very sweet of you guys, but I think it's best if we just keep things separate for a while," Will informed her bluntly.

"Yeah, ok," Emma responded with a frown.

Meanwhile, in another part of the school, the members of the glee club were trying to cheer up a gloomy British teen.

"C'mon, Hermione, Christmas is just around the corner!"

"Sorry, Mercedes, I'm just not really in the Christmas spirit this year," she replied sadly before walking out of the cafeteria. Someone with deep brown eyes saw this and hurried after the despondent girl.

"Hermione, wait up!"

"Yeah, Santana?" The wavy-haired brunette replied, her eyes lighting up slightly.

"We both have a free period. Let's go to the auditorium," the Cheerio ordered, linking arms with the older girl. The two sat at the piano, fooling around, and laughing lightly until the bell rang. "Shit, we gots to get to glee before Mr. Schue thinks I kidnapped you."

"Well, now that wouldn't be so bad, would it?" Hermione teased, her mood having improved over the past hour.

As the two entered the choir room, they were met with the rest of the New Directions singing and decorating a Christmas tree.

"Blimey, I just can't seem to escape," the British girl grumbled before sitting down, causing Santana to frown as her progress with the brown-eyed beauty vanished instantaneously.

"Hey, guys, what's this?" Will asked his students happily as he walked into the room with a small decorated tree.

"Uh, we're trying to get into the Christmas spirit., Mr. Schue. Christmas is totally my favorite holiday," Finn informed him with a large grin. When Hermione noticed the tall boy's childlike giddiness, she couldn't help but scoff, earning a glare from Rachel.

"Guys, I appreciate the effort, but this isn't what Christmas is supposed to be like."

"For us it is. I mean, this tree is like a mascot for glee club. We've won Sectionals two years in a row and according to everyone else at this school, we still suck," grumbled Mercedes, her arms crossed.

"Will, I can't listen to this anymore. I'll see you at home," Hermione said abruptly, shaking off the Latina's grasp on her shoulder, and storming out of the choir room. Will gazed sadly upon his niece before turning back to face his students.

* * *

><p>Hermione quickly drove to the Hummel household and pulled into the driveway before making her way to the front door. She hesitantly knocked and soon came face-to-face with a smiling Carole.<p>

"Oh, Hermione, dear, please come in. Burt and I were just attempting to bake some Christmas cookies. I'm warning you now though," the older brunette laughed as she led the British girl into the kitchen. Burt turned around upon hearing voices and Hermione let out a soft giggle at the sight of the man covered in flour.

"Well, hello, Hermione, to what do we owe the pleasure? Kurt's not home if that's who you're looking for," the man informed her with a smile.

"Actually, Mr. and Mrs. Hummel, I was hoping to speak to you. Um, you remember what we talked about at the wedding?" Hermione murmured quietly.

"Of course, dear. You know you can talk to us about anything," the woman told her as she placed a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"How did you manage to get through your first Christmas without your loved ones?" The brown-eyed girl managed to choke out before her eyes welled up with tears. The couple glanced at each other sadly before helping the wavy-haired brunette into the living room.

"I won't lie and say it was easy because it wasn't, but it gets easier in time. Of course, I still miss Kurt's mother, but I know she wouldn't want me beating myself up about it and I know she'd want me to move on with my life which I have. I guess all I'm trying to say is that I know she is happy for me," Burt finished looking at his wife with a fond smile.

"Hermione, there is nothing wrong with missing your parents, especially around this time of year. My first Christmas without Finn's father was hard and I had to force myself to get out of bed, but before I did that, I wished him a 'Merry Christmas' and had a silent conversation with him about past Christmases," Carole paused to wrap one of her arms around the trembling girl next to her. "Honey, no one is going to expect you to pretend that your parents didn't exist. The people who care about you are going to do everything they can to make this holiday as easy for you as possible."

"That's the thing though. I truly care about everyone I've met here and you've all been so kind to me, but being so far away from home and the people I loved in London, especially Harry, is not helping. I miss him," the British girl whimpered. Carole locked eyes with her husband who nodded and quietly left the room.

"You know you and your uncle are more than welcome to spend Christmas with us."

"That's very sweet of you, but I don't want to ruin anyone's Christmas," the wavy-haired brunette replied with a forced smile before checking the time. "Thank you for your hospitality, Mrs. Hummel. I should get going before Will gets too worried."

"Any time, dear. And please reconsider our offer. We'd love to have you both here," the brown-eyed woman told her warmly before hugging the still sniffling girl tightly. The British teen smiled at her before thanking the man in the kitchen and walking back out to her car.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe he's making us do this," Hermione groaned as she tugged at the green scarf she was forced to wear.<p>

"Yeah, only your uncle would think it was a good idea to go caroling around the school," Santana chuckled as she readjusted the British girl's scarf.

"I feel like this is going to end up being a nightmare," the taller girl sighed as she rested her forehead on the Latina's shoulder, causing the younger girl to grin goofily.

"Well, what's the worst thing that could happen?" The raven-haired girl asked as they walked into the first classroom. The group began to sang only to receive harsh remarks from their audience. The glee club ignored them and continued to sing until someone threw a shoe that hit Hermione in the face.

"Ok, that's it," the wavy-haired brunette growled, her hands clenching into fists.

"Sorry, London, I was trying to hit the dwarf!" Someone called out, causing Hermione to lunge at him, only to be held back by Sam and Santana.

"Ok, let's get out of here," Quinn murmured as she ushered everybody out of the room as the other students began throwing more things at them.

"Hermione, calm down. It's not that big of a deal. People are just being stupid," Rachel muttered to the fuming girl, who was struggling against her friends' holds on her.

"I know, I just—" the British girl paused. "I'm going to go for a run. I need to clear my head," she informed the group before heading down the hallway.

"Hey, Granger, wait up!" A voice yelled out to the girl's retreating form.

"What do you want, Lopez?" Hermione questioned wearily.

"Want some company?" The Latina asked quietly.

"It's rather cold out there," the British teen informed her bluntly.

"Well, if you can stand it, I can stand it, now come on," Santana ordered playfully while dragging the girl down to the football field. As the two began jogging around the track, the raven-haired Cheerio broke the comfortable silence that had settled between them. "I may not understand everything you've been through, but I understand why you're so against the holidays this year." The wavy-haired brunette looked at her with a raised eyebrow as the younger girl chose her next words carefully. "You miss your parents of course, as well as the people you left behind in London, but you feel guilty because you're still here." Hermione's pace faltered at her words.

"No one except for Harry has been able to read me as well as you can," the taller girl muttered.

"Yeah, well, I'm full of surprises," smirked the Latina before turning serious once more. "I know you get sad after each time you perform because you wish they could see you, but the thing is, that wherever they are they are looking down on you and smiling because you're doing one of the things you love. It's ok to enjoy life, you know. Your parents would want you to. I know I might be overstepping some lines, but—"

"No, you're saying all the right things, San. You're really something special, you know?" Hermione informed her fondly before quickly kissing her cheek and increasing her speed, leaving behind a blushing Santana.

A few days had passed and it was now Christmas Eve. When Will and Hermione returned home that evening, a surprise in the form of Sue Sylvester awaited them.

"Hey, Will, Hermione," the tall blonde woman greeted them with a crooked grin.

"How—how did you get in here?" Will questioned, flabbergasted at her presence.

"Oh, I had a key made ages ago. How do you like your tree?" The cheerleading coach inquired, stepping to the side of the tree.

"Uh, it's beautiful. Wh—what's going on? What's with all the presents?" The choir director spluttered out with wide eyes.

"Well, you remember that old meanie who stole all that stuff out of the choir room? Well, she's sorry."

"Really? And what made her change her mind?" The curly-haired man asked with a wary expression evident on his face.

"I don't know, call it a Christmas miracle and we'll leave it at that. Now, I know a lot of these gifts are for orphans or something, William, but I got you something special. It's ok, it's not gonna explode. I thought you might want to put all of us out of our misery and shave off that Chia Pet," Sue informed him as he unwrapped the hair clippers earning a chuckle from the British girl.

"Thanks, Sue. The tree really does look great," Will responded genuinely.

"Well, Santa had some helpers." As soon as she finished her sentence, the Cheerios' coach blew her whistle and in walked the New Directions with large smiles.

"What are you guys doing here?" Hermione beamed as she embraced her friends.

"We know how hard this Christmas is going to be for you, so we all decided to come make it a bit easier on you," Quinn informed her with a shy smile.

"I don't know what to say…"

"Don't say anything, just grab some ornaments and let's gets our decorating on," Santana told her playfully. She did as she was told and couldn't help but gaze affectionately at the other girl. Once the tree was decorated and the gifts were passed out, everyone sat by the fire debating over which Christmas special they were going to watch. While Rachel was arguing strongly for _White Christmas_, Hermione discreetly moved to sit next to Santana, who glanced around the room to make sure no one was paying attention before putting her arm around the wavy-haired brunette. The older girl smiled and rested her head on the raven-haired girl's shoulder. They sat there quietly as the rest of the glee club continued to bicker and couldn't help but chuckle when Brittany decided she'd had enough and skillfully snatched the remote out of the tiny brunette's hand. The blonde dancer grinned triumphantly as she turned on her movie of choice. As the opening music began, the entire group fell silent as _It's Christmastime, Charlie Brown _started to play. Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

"Hey, Mia, wanna get that?" Will suggested with a knowing smile. The British girl groaned and removed herself from the Latina's protective embrace. She dragged her feet to the door and swung it open. As soon as she saw what was on the other side of the door, her jaw dropped.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Ahh, so sorry! Anyway, I'd like to thank everyone for the favorites/alerts. It really means a lot to me! **

**Mummification: Thank you for the review! I'm glad you're still enjoying the story! **

**xOrax: Haha, sorry! I normally hate cliffhangers, but I couldn't resist it this time! I hope you like this chapter! :)**

**Ok, now onto the story! Enjoy! **

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 25~<strong>

**_Previously: _**_"Don't say anything, just grab some ornaments and let's gets our decorating on," Santana told her playfully. She did as she was told and couldn't help but gaze affectionately at the other girl. Once the tree was decorated and the gifts were passed out, everyone sat by the fire debating over which Christmas special they were going to watch. While Rachel was arguing strongly for White Christmas, Hermione discreetly moved to sit next to Santana, who glanced around the room to make sure no one was paying attention before putting her arm around the wavy-haired brunette. The older girl smiled and rested her head on the raven-haired girl's shoulder. They sat there quietly as the rest of the glee club continued to bicker and couldn't help but chuckle when Brittany decided she'd had enough and skillfully snatched the remote out of the tiny brunette's hand. The blonde dancer grinned triumphantly as she turned on her movie of choice. As the opening music began, the entire group fell silent as It's Christmastime, Charlie Brown started to play. Suddenly, the doorbell rang._

_"Hey, Mia, wanna get that?" Will suggested with a knowing smile. The British girl groaned and removed herself from the Latina's protective embrace. She dragged her feet to the door and swung it open. As soon as she saw what was on the other side of the door, her jaw dropped._

"Harry! What are you doing here?" Hermione screamed, throwing her arms around her bespectacled friend.

"Hey, Mione," he smiled lifting up the girl and spinning her around. "There's someone else to here see you," he sang playfully. A figure suddenly appeared from behind him.

"Ginny!" She squealed, embracing the younger girl. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well, missing you lots of course. I, um, started dating Neville actually."

"Did you really? That's great! Speaking of dating. How're you and Luna doing?" The wavy-haired brunette directed at Harry.

"We're doing very well, we're going on three years," he beamed, turning a light shade of pink. "Everyone sends their love and we do come bearing gifts, but I recommend that you open them once all these people leave," he informed her with a chuckle.

"Oh! I forgot about them. Come on then." She pulled her friends into the other room. "Harry, Gin, this is Rachel, Finn, Puck, Brittany, Mercedes, Sam, Quinn, Tina, Mike, Artie, and Santana. They are all my fellow glee club member. Oh, and the two adults quietly bickering over there are Sue Sylvester and my uncle, Will. Guys, these are my oldest and dearest friends, Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley."

"It's nice to meet all of you. We've heard a lot about you. Which one of you is Santana again?" Harry questioned with a smirk, earning a slap upside the head from a blushing Hermione. The Latina slowly raised her hand and titled her head as she stared at the flustered brunette. "Ooh, very nice, Mione," he teased with a wink.

"Oh, shut up, you. I don't mean to be rude, guys, but these two and I have a lot of catching up to do. We'll join you in a few minutes." The trio sat at the table in the next room and began talking in hushed whispers. "So, um, how's Ronald?"

"He still refuses to get his head out of his ass and nobody really speaks to him unless they have to," Ginny replied nonchalantly. "Everyone hates him for what he did to you."

"Well, there was a reason why he was the only person who didn't know about my sexuality for a long time," Hermione muttered with a small frown.

"Yeah, imagine if he knew about you and Fleur in fourth year," Harry mused out loud, trying not to laugh at his best friend's embarrassment.

"Or you and Cho fifth year."

"Or you and Ginny the summer after fifth year."

"Or you and Daphne in sixth year."

"Oh, and we can't forget about those Muggle twins you hooked up with before you left to go hunt down Horcruxes."

"Bloody hell, I'm awful," the former prefect groaned, hitting her head on the table.

"No, you're not, Mione. You were very chivalrous in all of your 'relationships'. I mean, that was one of the reasons why you were so popular with the ladies," snickered The-Boy-Who-Lived.

"Yeah, I would know from experience," the red-haired girl teased.

"Ok, can we please stop talking about my past sexual experiences?" She shrieked loud enough for the group in the next room to hear. She turned bright red and began grumbling angrily to herself causing her fellow Gryffindors to snicker.

"Oh! We've got good news! We caught Dolohov and Greyback!" Harry informed her happily.

"That's great! What about Bellatrix?" Hermione questioned eagerly.

"Um, about that, Mione…she was recently spotted in Washington D.C.," the green-eyed boy muttered sadly.

"Are—are you serious?" The brown-eyed witch stood up and began pacing. "No, no, no, no, no. This can't be happening. I was supposed to be safe here! What about all my friends? She wouldn't even give them a second thought before she—"

"Um, Hermione, is everything ok?" Santana questioned warily before stepping into the room.

"Yeah, I'm fine." The raven-haired Cheerio gave her a disbelieving look causing Hermione to sigh and approach her. "Really, San. I promise you I'm fine. Just got some unexpected news. Go hang out with the others. I'll be back soon." The younger girl grasped the taller girl's hand before nodding slowly and disappearing back into the other room with a sigh.

"She really cares about you, you know," Ginny said to her gently.

"What? Oh, yeah, she's a great friend," the wavy-haired brunette responded distractedly.

"Oh, honestly, Hermione. You can see it in both your guys' eyes. You both clearly want to be more than friends," the redhead spoke matter-of-factly with a roll of her eyes.

"Yeah, Mione, you always deny your true feelings when you're getting close to someone," Harry interjected.

"I thought I was supposed to be the know-it-all," she replied with a playful glare.

"Don't worry, you will always be our favorite know-it-all," the dark-haired boy chuckled earning a slap to the head as the three Gryffindors burst out into uncontrollable laughter.

"Merlin, I've missed this," the brown-eyed girl told them truthfully after they fell into a comfortable silence.

"We've missed you too. I really don't want to leave tomorrow afternoon," the youngest Weasley mumbled sadly.

"Will you guys come see us perform at Regionals?" The older girl pleaded with wide eyes.

"Of course we will, Mione. We'd love to see you perform. Just let us know when it is and we'll literally pop right over," her best friend assured her, causing the brunette to grin.

"We should probably go back into the other room. I don't want to be a terrible hostess," she said to her friends with a bashful grin.

"Uh huh, sure. Harry and I both know you just wanna get back to your fiery Latina," taunted the red-haired girl. The former prefect rolled her eyes and pulled her two friends into the next room. When Santana saw her, she met her eyes, smiled slightly, and motioned for her to sit back down next to her. Hermione returned her smile with a blush before walking towards her, much to the amusement of her fellow wizards.

"Wait, Mione, why don't you sit on Santana's lap, so Harry and I can squeeze onto the couch too," Ginny suggested with a smirk, earning a glare from her former lover. The Latina all too eagerly pulled her British friend into her lap and wrapped her arms around the older girl.

"See, Mione? Santana doesn't mind," Harry joked as his friend turned an even darker shade of pink.

The trio hung out with the New Directions for several more hours until Finn pointed out that they all should get home before their parents got upset. Everyone hugged Hermione goodbye and left until only the dark-haired Cheerio remained.

"I guess I should get going," she told the British girl dejectedly as she pulled back from their embrace. She looked up at the ceiling with a sigh and tilted her head. "Mistletoe? Where the hell did that come from?" Hermione spun around to glare at her snickering friends as Harry quickly hid his wand.

"Um, we don't have to—" the slightly taller girl began.

"No, I want to. I mean, you _do _still owe me that kiss from Sectionals, Granger," the Latina smirked, stepping closer to the older girl. They leaned closer and closer and just when their lips were about to touch…

"Lopez! Get moving! I don't care if Christmas is tomorrow! We have Cheerios practice at dawn!" The voice of the cheerleading coach rang out, startling the two girls and causing them to jump away from each other. Santana began growling angrily to herself in Spanish, earning a giggle from the wavy-haired brunette.

"I'll see you soon, Santana," the other girl promised before quickly kissing the other girl's cheek. The cheerleader froze and grinned goofily before waving and hurrying after Coach Sylvester.

"Somebody's got it bad," Ginny called out in a singsong tone.

"Oi. Quiet you. Leave the singing to the glee club," she retorted good-humoredly. "C'mon, let's get to bed," she murmured with a small frown.

"Your nightmares haven't gotten better, have they?" Harry inquired sadly. The brown-eyed witch shook her head glumly as she led her friends to her bedroom and cast a spell at the bed to make it larger. The two Quidditch players looked at her, worry clearly etched on their faces. Hermione ignored their stares and plopped down on the bed. Harry and Ginny climbed onto the bed and settled on either side of her, each throwing an arm around her. The three Gryffindors fell asleep quickly unaware that Will was watching them with tears in his eyes, happy that his niece had found such great friends in the wizarding world.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Harry and Ginny were awoken by delicious smells coming from the kitchen. They climbed out of bed and groggily made their way to the other room only to find Hermione and Will singing and dancing while preparing breakfast. The two Gryffindors glanced at each other and couldn't help but smile at their friend's carefree attitude. As the relatives spun around and noticed the others' presence, Hermione grabbed Harry while Will took Ginny's hand and they all began to dance together.<p>

"It's great to see you singing and dancing again, Mione," Harry informed her happily as the four finally sat down to eat.

"Yeah, well, I have the people I've met here to thank for that," Hermione responded shyly.

"So I guess there's no way for us to convince you to come back, is there?" Ginny questioned with a sad smile.

"Being here is good for me. I miss you all more than anything, but right now, this is where I need to be. Will is my only family now and I want to spend as much time with him as possible. Besides, he'd be completely lost without me here," smirked the wavy-haired brunette.

"Hey!" Will cried out indignantly as he flung some confectionary sugar at his niece.

"Oh, you did not just do that," growled the former prefect as she grabbed a big handful of eggs before hurling it at the hazel-eyed man who ducked out of the way causing Harry to be the victim instead. The bespectacled boy playfully glared at his best friends before a small food fight broke out between the four. Several minutes later, everyone collapsed to the ground as laughter rang out in the small room.

"Look at this mess!" The choir director called out between laughs.

"Oh, don't worry about that, William," Hermione assured him with a chuckle as she pulled out her wand and waved it to clean up the mess.

"I love magic," the curly-haired man said with wide eyes.

"So do we," the three Gryffindors replied simultaneously with wicked grins as they pointed their wands at him.

"Ok, well, before you three turn my head into a pumpkin or something, why don't we go exchange gifts?" Will suggested before hurrying into the living room.

"I really like him, Mione," Harry informed her genuinely as Ginny nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, he's great, isn't he? I don't know what I'd do without him. He's so much like Mum and he was of course the one who got me into music in the first place," beamed the brown-eyed girl as she and her friends joined Will in the other room.

Several hours had passed and before they knew it, it was time for Harry and Ginny to apparate back to the Burrow.

"I really wish we didn't have to go," Ginny pouted as she embraced her former lover.

"I know, Gin, but I'll see you guys in a couple months at Regionals," Hermione informed her with a large grin before kissing the taller girl on the cheek and turning to her best friend. "Harry…" she murmured softly as a tear slid down her face. The former Gryffindor seeker wrapped his arms around her.

"Promise me you'll be safe, Mione. The Order and the Aurors are looking for Bellatrix, but I want you to promise me that you'll be ok," the raven-haired boy told her.

"I promise, Harry. You be safe too though, ok? You always have a knack of getting into trouble," she teased as he kissed her forehead.

"Yeah, yeah. Love you, Mione," he muttered before pulling away.

"Love you too. Tell Luna, Neville, and the rest of the Weasleys I say 'hello' and 'thank you', ok?"

"Yes, ma'am," the Quidditch players replied with a mock salute before disappearing with a pop. Hermione stared at the spot where her friends had just been until she felt an arm wrap around her shoulder.

"You ok, Mia?"

"Yeah, Will," she responded before turning around to hug him. "Thank you for calling them. Thank you so much. You really are the best uncle in the world."

"It was nothing, sweetheart. I only wish I could do more," the hazel-eyed man spoke sadly.

"Will, you've done so much for me over the past couple of months and you made this Christmas so much easier on me, so thank you for that. I don't think you know how much I love you," the British girl informed him with a watery smile.

"I love you too, Mia. And I hate for ruining the mood, but we need to get going if we're going to get to the Hummels in time for dinner!" Will said frantically as he began rushing around the apartment causing his niece to giggle. As Hermione fastened her coat and grabbed her hat, she felt her phone buzz. She took it out and read the message.

"Merry Christmas, princesa! Want to go ice skating tomorrow? :)"

"Happy Christmas to you as well, San! And I'd love to, but don't you have Cheerios practice? Won't Sue kill you?" She typed out her reply, chuckling to herself.

"Yeah, probably, but you are so worth that risk ;)," the latest message from the Latina read and Hermione couldn't help but think that maybe things were finally going to be okay again.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Please don't hate me for denying them yet another kiss. There will be one soon, I promise! :) **


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: As I'm sure you can tell, The Sue Sylvester Shuffle chapters are coming up next and while I normally break up the episodes into two chapters, I'm breaking up this episode into three. Just wanted to let y'all know. Thanks again for reading this story and offering your various forms of feedback.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 26~<strong>

**_Previously: _**_"It was nothing, sweetheart. I only wish I could do more," the hazel-eyed man spoke sadly._

_"Will, you've done so much for me over the past couple of months and you made this Christmas so much easier on me, so thank you for that. I don't think you know how much I love you," the British girl informed him with a watery smile._

_"I love you too, Mia. And I hate for ruining the mood, but we need to get going if we're going to get to the Hummels in time for dinner!" Will said frantically as he began rushing around the apartment causing his niece to giggle. As Hermione fastened her coat and grabbed her hat, she felt her phone buzz. She took it out and read the message._

_"Merry Christmas, princesa! Want to go ice skating tomorrow? :)"_

_"Happy Christmas to you as well, San! And I'd love to, but don't you have Cheerios practice? Won't Sue kill you?" She typed out her reply, chuckling to herself._

_"Yeah, probably, but you are so worth that risk ;)," the latest message from the Latina read and Hermione couldn't help but think that maybe things were finally going to be okay again._

"Nice hair," Hermione smirked as she walked up to Santana after Cheerios practice a few weeks after the holidays.

"Shut up, Granger. I think Coach Sylvester's finally losing it. First the blue wigs and then she had us hit ourselves in the face with chicken cutlets…" The British teen began laughing hysterically, earning her a slap upside the head from the dark-haired cheerleader. "You coming to the game after school?"

"I guess I should. I mean, I've never been to an American football game yet. I'll get Blaine and Kurt to come with me, so they can attempt to explain it to me," she responded sheepishly, ashamed that there's something she doesn't understand.

"It's not very difficult to understand. Even Brit can understand it," the Latina informed her with a smile as she linked their arms together.

"Is there any way that I could sit in the stands, but be close enough to you guys?" The wavy-haired brunette questioned as they walked down the hallway.

"Yeah, I can make sure no one sits in the first row of the bleachers right behind us, why?"

"So I can check you out, of course!" Hermione replied as the cheerleader stared at her with her jaw dropped. "Kidding. Well, sort of. I want to be close enough to you guys so if I have questions that Blaine and Kurt can't answer, you can answer them."

Several hours later, Hermione found herself fully enthralled by the football game she was watching much to the amusement of the Unholy Trinity and the two Warblers.

"So what did you think?" Brittany asked the British girl as she, Santana, and Quinn approached her after the game.

"Oh, it was brilliant! I think I fully grasped the idea of the game. It makes so much more sense than Qui—"

"Than what?" Santana questioned with a tilt of her head.

"Um, than quilting?" The wavy-haired brunette suggested weakly, causing Quinn to raise one of her eyebrows. "Um, how bout I treat you three to dinner at BreadstiX after you shower? I can't have you stinking up my car."

"Sounds good. And, by the way, we do not stink," the Latina informed her while sticking her tongue out.

"Yeah, yeah, just get a move on, Lopez, before I take my offer elsewhere," she responded playfully while glancing at Blaine and Kurt who were conversing quietly to each other. Santana looked at her with wide eyes before dragging the blonde dancer with her to the locker room.

"You really don't have to treat us, you know," Quinn murmured, watching her fellow Cheerios run off.

"I know I don't, but I want to. I mean, it's the least I can do after what you've all done for me, especially for Christmas," the older girl replied nonchalantly. "You better hurry up though. I doubt Santana would let me wait for you."

"You're probably right," chuckled the hazel-eyed girl. "Thanks again, Hermione."

"Are you planning on starting up more drama between Quinn and Santana again?" Kurt questioned with a smirk after the head cheerleader walked off.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione responded with a roll of her eyes.

"Well, it's quite clear how smitten Satan is with you, but it also appears that Miss Fabray has yet again developed some sort of crush on you," the well-dressed boy informed her with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, that's where you're wrong, Mr. Hummel. Quinn is interested in Sam. That much is clear."

"Whatever you say, Herms," snickered the brown-haired boy.

"Kurt, be nice," chastised Blaine playfully. "Thanks for inviting us, Mione. It was a lot of fun! Let us know when the next game is. I for one would love to go," he told her with a large smile as he embraced her.

"Will do, sir! You two drive safely now!" The British girl ordered with a grin after she hugged Kurt.

"Yes, mom," the two Warblers teased before hopping into Kurt's car and driving off.

* * *

><p>The next day, Hermione was walking down the hallway when she noticed many of the football players standing in a circle around Artie, slushies in hand. She rushed over to her friend and pushed him through the doors before turning around and facing the bullies.<p>

"You guys think you're so big and tough picking on a guy in a wheelchair? What a bunch of cowards," she spat. The athletes glared at her before simultaneously throwing their slushies at her. After they stalked off, Hermione sighed and slowly made her way to the choir room.

Meanwhile, the New Directions sat in the choir room waiting for their teacher to arrive when the raven-haired Cheerio noticed something.

"Have you guys seen Hermione?" Santana asked, trying not to show how worried she was. "She was going to meet me by my locker before glee."

"I have. She pushed me out of the way and took at least fourteen slushies for me," Artie murmured quietly.

"Oh my god," Tina exclaimed pointing at the door where Hermione was storming in, covered from head to toe in red slush. Santana hurried over to the fuming girl and tried calming her down.

"That's it. Screw rehearsal. This ends here and now," Finn shouted angrily as he and the rest of the football players headed towards the door.

"So this is what the ladies' lounge looks like on the inside."

"This is the choir room. Now put up your fists 'cause you and I are gonna do some dancing," the blonde football player threatened, casting a worried look at the British girl.

"No, I got this, Sam," Finn told him as he took a step forward.

"Coach Bieste told us to come. Where is she?" Karofsky snarled.

"Everyone, have a seat," the football coach ordered her players.

"You too, guys," Mr. Schuester told his students. "Alright, New Directions, let's give a warm welcome to the newest members of glee club."

"What?" All of the teenagers cried out furiously.

"Mr. Schue, are you serious? These are the guys that made Kurt transfer and have physically attacked your niece on numerous occasions!" Finn yelled as he bolted up out of his chair. Hermione groaned at his outburst and put her head in her hands.

"There is no way that I am sharing the choir room with a known homophobe!" Rachel spat while gesturing to Karofsky.

"I don't disagree with you guys. But I talked to Coach Bieste about it and she and I both agree that the kind of bullying that David does is born out of ignorance. Having him in here, as difficult as it may be for us, is an opportunity to show him and the rest of the guys that being in glee club is kind of cool. Find some common ground," the choir director spoke reasonably.

"All of you are going to be in this glee club for one week. No exceptions," Coach Beiste informed her football players.

"She's bluffing. Next week is the championship game. Without us, she has no team," Karofsky scoffed with a roll of his eyes.

"With you I have no team! You guys have got to find a way to come together or we're gonna get our asses kicked from here until Tuesday finds a saddle bag full of buckwheat!" She shouted at them, startling everyone in the room.

"If I have to stay, I'm not singing no show tunes that is the music of my oppressors," Azimio pointed out haughtily while crossing his arms.

"Do you even have any idea what we do in here?" Finn questioned with a frustrated sigh.

"No, none of them do. We have to show them. Puck, Rachel." As the two brunettes moved to the front of the room, Santana glanced over at Hermione who was still shivering from the frozen beverages that covered her.

"C'mon, let's go get you cleaned up," she whispered gently into her ear. The British girl nodded and stood up as Santana motioned to their teacher that they were going to the restroom. "Before we go to the bathroom, let me go get some extra clothes out of my locker. I'm afraid all I have is a sports bra and some rather short shorts," she mumbled bashfully as she opened her locker.

"It's fine, Lopez. Just try not to drool over me too much," the other girl answered teasingly.

"Ha, ha, very funny. Let's go," the Cheerio responded with a roll of her eyes as she pulled the other girl into the bathroom. "I guess we'll wash your hair out first and then you can, um, take off your clothes."

The wavy-haired brunette smirked and let the Latina rinse the red juice out of her hair. Once she dried the British teen's hair, Hermione stood up and took off her shirt. Santana gulped and looked her up and down. As Hermione wiped the remaining slush off of her torso, the raven-haired girl frowned and moved her fingers over some of the girl's scars. The older girl inhaled sharply and released a soft moan.

"I don't understand how anyone could do this to you," she muttered as a single tear slid down her face.

"Don't try to understand it. After I was rescued, I spent so much time asking myself 'why?'. I'll never get an answer and I'm ok with that."

"You're probably the bravest person I know," the younger girl murmured, stepping closer to the Hermione and placing her other hand on the side of the older girl's face. Both girls closed their eyes and inched their lips closer to each other.

"Santana, we have to get to Cheerios practice n—" Quinn froze when she saw the position the two girls were in. "Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. Um, I'll see you at practice."

"These people have the worst timing ever," growled Santana as she rested her forehead on the British girl's shoulder.

"You better go, love. I'm just gonna change and then I think I'll do a few laps around the football field in your clothes if you don't mind," the taller girl smirked. The Latina rolled her eyes playfully and exited the bathroom, taking a deep breath as she did so. Hermione quickly threw on the sports bra and shorts and headed to the football field. She stretched and began running around the track. The British girl had only been running for about fifteen minutes when she heard a loud explosion. She looked around frantically, fearing that Death Eaters were the cause of the noise. She whipped around and shrieked before ducking down as a mannequin flew towards her at a rapid speed.

"Hermione! Are you ok?" Santana screamed as she hurried over to the girl, the rest of the Cheerios following closely behind.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Hermione yelped as she dusted herself off.

"Sue Sylvester's latest scheme. She's going to put Brittany in that cannon," Quinn enlightened her skeptically, while staring at the girl in front of her.

"Is she mad? Someone could get killed with that thing!" She shouted out angrily. "Brit, don't worry. I'll talk to Will and he'll figure something out."

"Thanks, Hermione. You have a really nice body," the ditzy blonde stated with a wink.

"So do you, Brit," she chuckled. "I'll see you ladies later," she called out over her shoulder before jogging off. Santana noticed her fellow Cheerios ogling the British girl and furiously ordered them to get back to work. As the cheerleaders frantically rushed back over to their practice, only two blondes remained staring at the British girl's retreating form.

"Brittany, Fabray, you better get your asses in gear and stop staring at Hermione like she's a piece of meat."

"Don't forget that I'm head Cheerio around here, Lopez!" Quinn responded with a glare before joining her teammates.

"Don't worry, San. You may not say anything, but I know she's yours. Besides, I'm with Artie," Brittany informed her best friend soothingly. "I think I'd compare Hermione to a candy bar in a vending machine."

"What the hell are you talking about, Brit?" The Latina sighed as she tightened her ponytail.

"Well, every time I walk past a vending machine, I see all of these delicious candy bars, but I can't buy them because I don't have any money. Hermione's like that."

"Brit, you can't buy people…" Santana trailed off wondering what on earth the taller girl was talking about.

"No, silly. I mean, I can see Hermy, but I can't touch her. Like the candy bars in the vending machine!" The blonde dancer pointed out matter-of-factly.

"Oh, ok, that makes sense I guess," laughed the Latina as she linked arms with the blue-eyed girl.

* * *

><p>"Will, you have got to have a talk with Figgins about Sue. She's trying to shoot Brittany out of a bloody cannon!" Hermione shrieked as she burst into her uncle's office where he was tutoring a few students, who now gazed at the British girl lustfully.<p>

"Mia! Put some clothes on!" The curly-haired man cried out as he handed her his jacket. "Now, what's this about Sue and a cannon?"

"Her latest plan is to launch a student out of a cannon!" The brown-eyed girl informed him while waving her hands around erratically.

"Are you serious?" Will questioned his niece who nodded fervently. "Ok, you two can go," he spoke to his students. "Mia, I am going to Figgins. You might want to avoid coming to the office. I'd hate to think what Sue would do if she found out you were the one who told me," the curly-haired man told her with a shudder.

"I think I can handle her, Will," chuckled the wavy-haired brunette. "But I'll go find something else with which I can occupy my time, alright?" The hazel-eyed man nodded before hurrying to the principal's office. When Hermione exited her uncle's office, she ran straight into Puck.

"Hey, babe, you look smokin'. What's up?" The boy with the mohawk asked her while waggling his eyebrows suggestively earning a smack on the arm from the girl.

"Just looking for something to do until Will tells me how his meeting with Figgins went. Got any suggestions?" The older girl asked him.

"Well, we could always go try to pick up women, but I'm pretty sure Santana would kill me if I allowed you to do that. Wanna go outside and toss a football?" The British girl's eyes lit up as she nodded her head and dragged Puck out to the football field.

"Damn, babe, you're a natural," the football player whistled as she caught the pass he threw.

"At my old school, I helped my friends practice for the game we played there," Hermione called back to him, thinking of the times when she and Ginny would toss the quaffle back and forth on the ground to help with the red-head's hand-eye coordination.

"Oh, sweet, what sport was it?" Puck questioned as he caught the football before throwing it back.

"Um, it's not very popular here. I doubt you would've heard of it," she answered with a chuckle as she easily caught the ball yet again much to the amazement of the crowd that had gathered around the two.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Ahhh, sorry it's been so long. I've been sick for quite a while now. Anyway! I hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks again for all of your feedback! Oh, yeah, for the song in this chapter, lines "like this" are sung by Hermione and lines "_like this_" are sung by the football team/the male members of New Directions.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 27~<strong>

_**Previously: **__"Well, we could always go try to pick up women, but I'm pretty sure Santana would kill me if I allowed you to do that. Wanna go outside and toss a football?" The British girl's eyes lit up as she nodded her head and dragged Puck out to the football field._

_"Damn, babe, you're a natural," the football player whistled as she caught the pass he threw._

_"At my old school, I helped my friends practice for the game we played there," Hermione called back to him, thinking of the times when she and Ginny would toss the quaffle back and forth on the ground to help with the red-head's hand-eye coordination._

_"Oh, sweet, what sport was it?" Puck questioned as he caught the football before throwing it back._

_"Um, it's not very popular here. I doubt you would've heard of it," she answered with a chuckle as she easily caught the ball yet again much to the amazement of the crowd that had gathered around the two._

A couple days later, Hermione sat in glee club with her arms crossed as Coach Beiste and Will informed the New Directions and the Titans about their latest development.

"No frickin' way!" Karofsky spat as he stood up angrily.

"We don't have a choice. Sue pulled the Cheerios from the game, so if we don't do it, there's no halftime show," the choir director informed them seriously.

"And this is a problem because…?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"It's not a problem, it's an opportunity. The whole point of this week was to bring you guys closer together, to bring the school together!"

"Wait, so you want us to play the first half, change into some sequin ball gowns, and then go out and do the halftime show at our own championship game?" Azimio exclaimed with a scoff.

"Yes!" The football coach answered frustratingly.

"This is the championship game! This is crazy!"

"Oi, will you all shut up? You're giving me a bloody headache. Look, Neanderthals, we want to perform with you all as much as you want to perform with us. Let's just get this over with and then we can go back to our respective teams, alright?" Hermione suggested, ever the voice of reason. The rest of the teenagers groaned, but nodded in agreement.

"Wait, what about the Cheerios in glee club?"

"They have a choice: us or the Cheerios competition," the curly-haired man answered with a sigh.

"Well, _obviously_ they are all going to pick the Cheerios competition," Rachel pointed out sarcastically.

"Hey, you don't know what they're going to do. Have faith in them, Rach," responded the British girl defensively, earning a fond smile from the Latina sitting next to her.

"I think the cheerleading competition is going to be a lot of fun, but if you go, you're going to miss out on us doing the most iconic song of all time, the super bowl of pop anthems…_Thriller_." The group began to cheer enthusiastically. "And we're going to mash it up with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' equally spooky single _Heads Will Roll_."

"Alright, New Directions, Titans, we're going to zombie camp," Coach Beiste informed the group before blowing her whistle. After rehearsing the choreography, both teams returned to the choir room to work on the zombie makeup. Hermione was applying some fake blood to her face, when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"What do you want, Karofsky?" She muttered tiredly while glancing at him in the mirror.

"Do you think maybe we should do a warm up number or something before we do that big _Thriller_ thing at halftime? You know, I figure the only way I'm gonna have any street cred around here after dancing around like an idiot in front of the whole school is if we kick ass at it." Hermione blinked for a few seconds before turning around to face him.

"That's actually a really great idea, Dave. I'll talk to Will about it." The football player nodded stiffly and returned to his chair.

A few days had passed and Hermione was making her way to the library to meet Sam when Will stopped her.

"Mia, I have some bad news."

"What is it?" She inquired, fearful of the answer.

"The Cheerios turned in their letter of resignation…"

"Are you serious?" The British girl replied quietly. Her uncle nodded and kissed the top of her head before going back to his office. The wavy-haired brunette slowly walked to the library and the blonde football player immediately sensed something was wrong.

"Herms, what happened?" Sam asked comfortingly as he put an arm around her shoulder.

"The Cheerios left glee," she informed him despondently.

"Really? Man, that sucks, I actually thought they'd leave the Cheerios."

"I know. Hey, can we meet up later to work on your paper? I'd like to go talk to Santana," the brown-eyed girl told him with a small frown.

"Yeah, of course, Herms. I don't mind putting off Twain for a bit," the blonde chuckled.

"Thanks, Sammy," smiled the brunette before hugging him and running off in search of the raven-haired girl. A few minutes later, she found the girl in question standing by her locker.

"Oh, hey, Hermione," beamed the Latina.

"How can you pretend something's not wrong when it is?" The British girl demanded while crossing her arms.

"Um, what did I do exactly?" The shorter girl questioned with tilt of her head.

"You left us for the Cheerios!" Hermione finally shrieked throwing her arms up in the air.

"Hermione, I'm sorry! I did what I had to do," mumbled Santana, trying to calm the other girl down.

"How can you say that? Did Sue point a gun at your head and force you to sign your name?"

"No, but you don't understand! I have a reputation to uphold. Please don't be mad at me," the younger girl spoke quietly.

"It's fine, San, really. I just don't understand why you guys care so much about the Cheerios when everyone who actually loves and appreciates you is in glee," Hermione replied disappointedly before looking the Latina in the eyes. "I guess I'm just upset because I'll barely see you now," she muttered so softly, as she was walking away, the cheerleader almost didn't hear her.

Hermione slowly walked to the auditorium and put on her zombie makeup before turning around and facing the football team.

"You ready, boys?" The team nodded nervously before they all moved into position and Hermione nodded at the band to begin playing.

"**Hey little sister, what have you done?****  
><strong>**Hey little sister, who's the only one?****  
><strong>**Hey little sister, who's your superman?****  
><strong>**Hey little sister, who's the one you want?****  
><strong>**Hey little sister, shot gun!**"

After she finished the first verse, the football players began to dance around her and joined her on the chorus.

"_**It's a nice day to start again.**__**  
><strong>__**It's a nice day for a white wedding.**__**  
><strong>__**It's a nice day to start again.**_"

"**Hey little sister, who is it you're with?****  
><strong>**Hey little sister, what's your vice and wish?****  
><strong>**Hey little sister, shot gun.****  
><strong>**Hey little sister, who's your superman?****  
><strong>**Hey little sister, shot gun!**"

"_**It's a nice day to start again.**__**  
><strong>__**It's a nice day for a white wedding.**__**  
><strong>__**It's a nice day to start again.**_"

"**Take me back home.**

"**Hey little sister, what have you done?****  
><strong>**Hey little sister, who's the only one?****  
><strong>**I've been away for so long.****  
><strong>**I've been away for so long.****  
><strong>**I let you go for so long.**"

"_**It's a nice day to start again.**__**  
><strong>__**It's a nice day for a white wedding.**__**  
><strong>__**It's a nice day to start again.**_"

"**There is nothin' fair in this world.****  
><strong>**There is nothin' safe in this world.****  
><strong>**And there's nothin' sure in this world.****  
><strong>**And there's nothin' pure in this world.****  
><strong>**Look for something left in this world.****  
><strong>**Start again.**

"**Come on.**"

"_**It's a nice day for a white wedding.**__**  
><strong>__**It's a nice day to start again.**__**  
><strong>__**It's a nice day to start again.**__**  
><strong>__**It's a nice day to start again.**_"

Once she and the guys hit the last note, the remaining glee club members began to cheer loudly.

"That was awesome, guys!" Will praised happily. "I think I speak for all of us when I say that your performance was very impressive!"

The performers looked at each other happily before exiting the auditorium and walking down the hallway, still clad in their zombie makeup. Before they could get too far, however, they ran into the hockey team.

"Wow, look the head dyke is in charge of a whole army of gays," Scott Cooper, the hockey team captain, taunted before he and his teammates threw their slushies all over the football players and Hermione. As Karofsky and the rest of the football team angrily stalked off to the locker room, Hermione sighed and headed towards the nearest girls' bathroom.

"Hermione, wait up!" A voice called out causing the British girl to turn around with a small frown.

"What do you want, San?"

"Do you need some help getting that slush off you?" The cheerleader inquired shyly.

"That's sweet of you," the wavy-haired brunette responded quietly. "I wouldn't want you to be late to Cheerios practice though."

"B, can cover for me," the Latina spoke with a smirk as she dragged the other girl to the bathroom.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Hermione joined Kurt and Blaine at the Lima Bean before school. After they sat down, the two Warblers began joking about how they were going to win Regionals. They stopped when they noticed the brown-eyed girl's crestfallen expression.<p>

"What's going on, babe?" Blaine questioned, concern shining in his eyes.

"McKinley is such a disaster right now, we can't even keep the football team together. It reminds me of the house rivalry at my old school. Coach Beiste and Will were so close to bringing the whole school together, only to have it blow up in their faces."

"Why hasn't Finn told me anything about this? We live together!" Kurt gasped as he put his coffee down.

"I suppose, he and the rest of the guys are too proud. I may not know a lot about the American school system, but I think that winning this game could have really helped the guys get out of their funk and establish their place on the social food chain," Hermione grumbled as she banged her head on the table.

"So the whole team quit?" Blaine asked after absorbing everything the British girl had said.

"Everybody except for the guys in glee," the wavy-haired brunette nodded. "Wait, you can't play football with five guys…right?" The curly-haired Warbler shook his head.

"Well, the good news is that you only need four more guys. High School regulations actually let you play a couple guys short if you want to. But, hey, if they figure out how to make it work, we'll definitely be there to cheer 'em on."

"Totally. Blaine and I love football. Well, Blaine loves football, I love scarves." Blaine and Hermione chuckled at Kurt's honesty and went back to their drinks. As the Warblers began chatting about the latest cover of _Vogue_, Hermione found herself deep in thought.

That afternoon as the remaining New Directions tried to figure something out with Coach Beiste and Mr. Schue, Hermione murmured something to the female members of glee. She stood up and walked to the center of the room before taking a deep breath.

"The girls and I want to join the team and play in the championship game," she stated bluntly.

"C'mon guys, stop screwing around. It's not cool," Sam muttered with a roll of his eyes.

"We are perfectly capable to play football, gentlemen!" Rachel shrieked as she and the rest of the girls joined the wavy-haired brunette in front of the group.

"Mia, have you ever actually seen a tackle football game? When they tackle you, it hurts," Will informed her warily.

"I'm a quick learner. After watching that one game the other afternoon, I understand the basic concepts of football and I asked Blaine to explain some of the smaller details to me. Also, William, if you remember, I spent four weeks being tortured by sociopaths. I doubt the boys on the rival football team could really injure me more than those people," she murmured darkly while glaring at her uncle.

"The rest of us have thought of that as well," Rachel interrupted, trying to diffuse the tension that was being created. "The truth is you guys don't really need us to play, you just need enough players out there to field a regulation team, so when they snap the ball, we're just gonna lie there."

"I'm not. I have a lot of pent up aggression I need to get out," Hermione scoffed. "Besides, I can throw and catch the ball pretty well. Puck can vouch for me."

"I guess they won't get hurt if they just lie down," the football coach pointed out as she stood up and faced the girls.

"What do your parents have to say about this?" The choir director questioned exasperatedly.

"Mercedes, Rachel, and I all have signed permission slips from them. It took some convincing, but they understood what it means to all of us," Tina informed the group with a smile. Will gazed at his niece and knew that she could be just as stubborn as her mother was and sighed.

"Well, what do you think, Coach?"

"Welcome to the football team," she spoke respectfully. The girls cheered enthusiastically and began jumping up and down as the male members of the New Directions surrounded them with crooked grins.

"Let's do this!" Puck yelled out as he spun a now giggling Hermione around. The group continued to goof off, unaware of three sets of disheartened eyes watching them from the doorway.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Song was "White Wedding" by Billy Idol.**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Oops. Sorry about the delay, but here's the next chapter and I'm sure it'll be worth the wait! (At least I hope you think so, ha.) Once again, thank you for all of the feedback. You guys are phenomenal. I realized a little too late that I sort of messed up Hermione's age. I said she was eleven in her first year and so on and I know she was twelve in her first year. Gah, my bad. To clarify, she is now 18. Ok, enough chitchat, onto the story! **

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 28~<strong>

A couple days later, Hermione was tossing a football with Sam and Puck while they told her about various plays and answered her questions.

"So let me get this straight, there's actually a penalty if a player hits or kicks another player?" The British girl asked disbelievingly.

"Uh, yeah, can you imagine how brutal the games would be if they players could do whatever they wanted to each other?" The boy with the mohawk replied, looking at her strangely.

"Yes, I can," she mused aloud. "I'll have to tell Harry about that."

"So Herms, were you always this athletic?" The blonde boy asked her as he threw her the ball.

"Hardly," the brown-eyed girl chuckled. "I knew that in order to be successful in some of my life's endeavors I had to be in impeccable shape, so three years or so ago I began working out and training regularly. Before that though, I just helped my friends train and avoided participating in any competition that wasn't purely academic."

"Whoa, watch out, Sam, we'll have to make sure we don't get on her bad side. She might melt us with her brain power," teased Puck. Hermione glared at him playfully before charging at him, causing the resident bad boy to utter an uncharacteristic shriek and run away from her. The British girl easily caught up to the brown-eyed boy and tackled him to the ground.

"I'll have you know, Puckerman, that I broke a guy's nose when I was thirteen," she informed him with a wicked smirk before getting off of him and sauntering away.

"Woman after my own heart," Puck dramatically called out after her as Sam helped him up. The wavy-haired brunette turned around with an amused smile and waved farewell to her friends before going off in search of her uncle.

"She's a special one, isn't she?" Sam said after the girl disappeared from their sight.

"That she is, Evans, that she is. Hopefully, Santana will get her head out of her fine ass and make her move before some other chick steals Hermione away."

"Do you really think Santana would let someone do that without a fight? I mean, she _is_ from Lima Heights," the younger boy pointed out before he and Puck began laughing hysterically.

* * *

><p>As Hermione was walking through the school trying to find Will, she was pulled into a nearby classroom. She raised her fists and spun around to face her abductor who was trying not to laugh.<p>

"What the bloody hell is your problem?" The British girl panted, lowering her fists and relaxing slightly.

"Sorry, Granger," Santana murmured with a smirk.

"Blimey, you don't do that to someone who has fought in a war," Hermione muttered quietly with her eyes shut.

"I really am sorry, princesa," the Latina responded apologetically, gently putting her hand on the older girl's shoulder. "Wait, you've fought in a war?"

"I shouldn't have said that," the wavy-haired brunette sighed, opening her eyes. "But yes, I have fought in a war. I don't know if you ever saw anything about it, but I believe I mentioned to you about the large terrorist organization that was trying to take over all of England and I was part of the resistance?" The shorter girl nodded. "Well, it eventually escalated into a full-scale war and my friends and I were a part of it."

"But you're so young," the raven-haired Cheerio replied with a frown.

"It was the right thing to do," Hermione shrugged, while trying to force her memories of the war away. Santana noticed the pain the taller girl's eyes and wrapped her arms around her.

"If you ever want to talk about it, you can trust me, you know."

"I know, San. Thank you." The two girls continued to embrace each other in a comfortable silence until the British girl opened her mouth to speak once more. "What did you need to talk about?"

"What? Oh, it's not important now. I'm not going to be able to change your mind anyway," the Latina informed her with a small grin causing Hermione to tilt her head in confusion. "I was going to ask you not to play in the game on Friday because I'm scared you'll get hurt, but you're the kind of person who does what's right, so you're going to play in the game no matter what." She paused. "You're a better person than I am."

"No, I'm not. I have my flaws just like everyone else, especially the nasty temper that I've gotten over the past seven or eight months. You need to give yourself more credit, San. No one else may notice it, but I see the way you are after someone in glee gets slushied. You want to rush to his or her aid and defend your friend's honor, but you're scared of letting people see the compassionate side of you because you have a certain reputation to uphold. It's ok to be yourself, Santana. People aren't going to think you're pathetic. If anything, they will appreciate you more," Hermione spoke to her fondly before kissing her cheek and exiting the classroom.

The rest of the week flew by and before anyone knew it, it was time for the big game. The former football players began verbally assaulting Finn about how he was committing social suicide when they noticed the girls decked out in pads and jerseys walking over to them.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Karofsky spat while throwing his hands up into the air.

"What the hell are they doing?" Azimio questioned with a roll of his eyes.

"What you don't have the balls to do," Finn smirked before joining the rest of his teammates in the pre-game huddle. "Let's do this!" He encouraged before telling them the play and directing the girls to the proper positions. Hermione stopped him and whispered something into his ear. "Are you sure?" She nodded, determination shining in her eyes. Finn gave his consent before muttering the change in plans to his best friend.

After the ball was snapped, the girls fell flat to the ground except for Hermione who pushed past their opponents and ran forward. Finn threw the ball, praying that his trust in the girl wasn't misplaced. Hermione spun around, jumped up, and caught the ball much to the amazement of everyone on the field. She shoved away one of the other team's players and ran into the end zone. As soon as the referee threw up his arms, signaling that she had scored a touchdown, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause before the rest of the Titans surged forward to praise the British girl.

"Girl, when did you get so fast?" Mercedes squealed as the girls embraced her.

"Growing up with mostly guys as your best friends has its advantages," she answered with a chuckle as the team got in position for the extra point.

Near the end of the second quarter, the score was 17 to 14. The Titans lined up and waited for Finn to call out the play. Hermione could have sworn she heard Coach Beiste shouting something about a blitz, but didn't have time to process it before Finn was sacked and the ball was lying helplessly a few feet away from him. She sprinted over to it and picked it up before she ran towards the end zone yet again. As soon as she crossed the goal line, a player from the other team came out of nowhere and tackled her. The referee blew his whistle and threw his arms up, indicating that she had scored yet another touchdown causing the crowd to break out in deafening cheers. They soon fell silent when they saw Hermione rolling back and forth on the ground clutching her right arm.

"Hermione!" Will bellowed trying to shove through the crowd as Coach Beiste rushed out onto the field.

"Granger, are you ok?" The older woman questioned worriedly.

"Um, yeah, I'm fine, just a small sprain," she lied through gritted teeth, knowing full well that her arm was broken.

"Ok, we'll get you a sling and take you to the hospital as soon as we can. By the way, thanks to you, we're now winning," the football coach beamed at her before helping her up and gently leading her off of the field. After they put her damaged arm into a sling, the wavy-haired brunette approached her friends.

"We can win this, guys!" Finn informed his teammates enthusiastically. "Hermione, you were awesome." The girl blushed and simply shrugged with her one good arm.

"I agree with Finn. You guys can win this. And an amazing halftime show will help us build our confidence even more. Finish up this quarter. Puck, Finn, you convince the rest of the guys to do the show with us. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Where are you going?" Puck inquired after he took off his helmet.

"From what I can tell about football, you can't have a halftime show without cheerleaders," she smirked before hurrying off the field and over to the parking lot.

"Oi! Wait up, you three!" She called out to the Unholy Trinity.

"What are you doing here?" Quinn asked confusedly.

"Forget what she's doing here. What the hell happened to your arm?" Santana yelped as she hurried over to the British girl and began examining the sling.

"I just hurt it a little while scoring a touchdown," she replied nonchalantly. "That's beside the point though. You guys have to come back to the game with me. I know you all care so much about your reputations, but is being a Cheerio really worth it? Whenever you guys perform in glee, it is obvious to everyone who watches you, that you truly love singing and dancing. And I, for one, can say that all three of you are so much more beautiful when you're not wearing that stupid uniform and are doing something you love with people who actually give a damn about you." She paused to look at Santana. "You told me that I was the bravest person you know, but you seem to forget how strong _you _can be. I know you can figure out the right thing to do."

"Ok, princesa, you win," the Latina finally relented with a smile.

"Brilliant! You two coming?"

"Of course," Quinn murmured shyly.

"Duh. I really don't want to die." The four girls moved to walk back over to the football field, but were stopped by a harsh voice calling out from behind them.

"No time for a foursome, ladies. This bus leaves in five."

"We quit," Santana informed her bluntly.

"You can't quit Cheerios. It's blood in, blood out. Now get your sweet little cans on that bus." The now former cheerleaders rolled their eyes and spun around before walking away. "You're my stars! If you leave, I have no performance!"

"Sorry, Sue," Hermione called back over her shoulder. "But these ladies are wanted elsewhere right now." The four hurried into the girls' locker room to get on their costumes and do their makeup. The British girl winced in pain as she grabbed her bag and hurried to the nearest stall. She whipped out her wand and hurriedly mended her broken arm. She sighed contentedly before putting her wand away and opening the door. As soon as the door swung open, she was met with a smiling Santana. Before she could say anything, the Latina's lips crashed down onto hers. After a few moments, they broke apart happily.

"Finally," murmured the younger girl.

"Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?"

"For pointing me in the right direction and for believing in me when no one else did," the raven-haired girl mumbled sheepishly. Santana leaned in and gently kissed Hermione again before slamming her hand up to her forehead. "Shit, we've gotta get you ready. How's your arm?"

"Never better," the wavy-haired brunette replied with a grin as she was dragged in front of a mirror. After a few minutes, the two girls rushed out onto the field hand-in-hand. "Good luck," she whispered before kissing the Latina's cheek swiftly. The zombified teenagers took their place on the field as the music started and fog quickly spread around them. After their well-received performance, the entire team was rejuvenated and took over for the girls after thanking them profusely for what they did. At Hermione's suggestion, they kept on their zombie makeup to frighten the other team. The British girl watched the team play their hearts out before moving to stand by Santana.

"I heard you kicked ass tonight, what with your three touchdowns. Who knew you'd end up being an amazing football player," teased the Latina.

"It _was_ quite exhilarating. Kissing you was so much better though."

"Oh, really? Well, we should definitely do it again then," she murmured huskily into the other girl's ear.

"But of course. Can it wait til after the game though?" The older girl pleaded while bouncing on her heels.

"You are too cute," the former cheerleader spoke fondly. "Of course it can, princesa." Hermione squealed and threw her arms around the shorter girl. After about an hour, Santana was tapping her foot impatiently. "Will you all hurry up and win the damn game, I've got better things to do!" The Titans turned around to glare at her before returning to the huddle. Several minutes later, the final whistle blew and the crowd cheered vivaciously.

"We won, Santana, we won!" Hermione squealed while jumping up and down.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's get going," Santana growled pulling a still bouncing Hermione behind her.

"Well, someone's quite eager to get someplace where we can be alone," chuckled the wavy-haired brunette causing the Latina to spin around rapidly.

"Have you seen yourself? Can you really blame me for wanting to get you back to my place as soon as possible?" She pointed out seriously. The British girl blushed and grabbed the other girl's hand.

"I'm nothing compared to you, love," the young witch responded infatuatedly before climbing into the other girl's car. The former cheerleader stood outside of her car with a goofy expression on her face before a honk snapped her out of her trance. "Come on, Lopez, I believe you wanted to 'get your mack on'."

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Yay! They finally kissed! I hope to have another update soon and I have planned on writing a sequel following the events of the third season of Glee, so that's good news, right?**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Sorry it's been a few days, my loves. I was spending a lot of time with my family. **

**There's going to be a bit of drama in this chapter and the next one because let's face it, drama is always fun. Well, maybe not, but it is necessary for the plot, ha. **

**Once again, thank you to all of those who have added this story (or me) to their favorites/alerts. Y'all put a smile on my face. Ok, well, onto the story!**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 29~<strong>

"Alright, guys, I have one word for you," Mr. Schue informed the group as he wrote 'love' on the white board. Before he could continue, a hand shot up. "Brittany?"

"Is it love?" She asked excitedly, throwing her arms around Artie and earning a grin from the choir director.

"Valentine's Day is coming up, so for this week's lesson, I want you guys to pick a partner because you're going to sing to them what you think is the world's greatest love song. Find a song that communicates what love means to you. Now, partner up." Hermione glanced at Santana shyly as the Latina squeezed her hand and threw an affectionate smile at the older girl.

"Mr. Schue, can I say something first?" Finn inquired before standing up and stepping forward. "I just wanted to point out that, for the first time, an entire week has gone by without any one of us getting slushied. I think the fact that I led the football team to a conference championship might have something to do with it. Fact is that I'm the closest thing this glee club has to a celebrity right now and just like a famous athlete, I want to give to a charity—you guys. So I'm setting up a kissing booth for a dollar a smooch and donating the proceeds to glee club to help us."

"Don't even act like you're trying to help this glee club, you just wanna kiss a bunch of girls," Mercedes scoffed as she crossed her arms.

"I've kissed Finn and can I just say, not worth a buck. Hermione, on the other hand, is totally worth it." The former cheerleader girl paused to wink at the older girl before continuing, "Finn, in case you've forgotten, Hermione scored three touchdowns in the first half alone and if she had continued to play, she would have scored more. She's totally more of a celebrity than you right now."

"I agree with Santana. Hermy's success at the football game has made her even hotter," Brittany stated seriously while looking the girl in question up and down.

"Thanks, Brit," chuckled the raven-haired girl. "And besides, do you think the hobbit would really let you have a kissing booth, Frankenteen?" The Latina turned around to look at Rachel who was nodding angrily. "Personally, I think if anyone should have a kissing booth, it should be Hermione," she suggested with a shrug.

"Aren't you guys kind of dating? Why would you be ok with her kissing a bunch of people?" Quinn inquired with a roll of her eyes.

"Because I get all the free kisses I want any time I want?" She smirked, glancing at a now blushing Hermione.

"Everyone knows you're, you know, gay though," Finn grumbled, upset that he wasn't getting the attention he wanted.

"Um, trust me, there are plenty of bicurious girls here," Hermione finally spoke, shooting a discreet look at the former head cheerleader. "And there are several guys that don't want to believe that I'm gay," she sighed in annoyance.

"Then it's settled. Hermione will do the kissing booth, Finn will not. Sit down, Finn," ordered a fuming Rachel.

"Um, ok, Mia, are you sure you want to do this?" Will inquired slowly.

"Why not. I mean, if the glee club can benefit from this, I don't see why I shouldn't do this," the British girl stated nonchalantly. "Oh, and I was thinking of setting up in the auditorium. I don't want to cause some huge riot if I start kissing girls in the hallway," she chuckled.

"I highly doubt that anyone would mind seeing that," Puck snickered earning a slap upside the head from a giggling Hermione.

Later that night, Hermione and Santana were lying on the former Cheerio's bed working on homework until the older girl let out a frustrated groan.

"Hey, San?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"Can you, um, can you…blimey, this is so difficult," the British girl mumbled.

"Come on, princesa, whatever it is can't be that bad," the Latina pointed out encouragingly. "Who knows, it could end up in a rather pleasurable situation," she stated with a wink.

"Oi. Where have you been the past few hours? I'm exhausted. Your stamina amazes me," grumbled Hermione.

"You weren't complaining too long ago," Santana whispered huskily as she trailed her fingers up her lover's thigh.

"Bloody hell. Stop distracting me," she muttered, biting her bottom lip.

"If you say so," laughed the raven-haired girl, removing her hand. "What were you going to ask me?"

"What? Oh, yeah, can you, er, help me with my Spanish homework? It's the one class I'm not doing well in and I love Will, but he really doesn't know what he's doing," frowned the wavy-haired brunette.

"You got that right, but I'd be more than happy to help you, baby," Santana informed her with a smile as she grabbed her textbook. As she began going over the different tenses, Hermione gazed at her fondly before kissing her cheek and focusing on what she was explaining.

The next day, the young witch was setting up her kissing booth in the auditorium, bracing herself for whatever was going to happen. She threw on her football jersey from the game and waited. Before too long, she heard Santana yelling and couldn't help but smile fondly at the sound of her lover's voice.

"Back up, you hormone-crazed bitches!" As soon as she pushed the door open, a stampede of both guys and girls came rushing in. "Looks like someone's gonna be busy," the Latina smirked as she walked up to the gaping British girl.

"What are you doing here, love?" The older girl murmured quietly.

"Well, someone's got to supervise to make sure these little freaks don't get out of hand," she growled out, glaring daggers at the large line before dragging the taller girl backstage and into a room hidden from the auditorium full of people. She kissed the other girl quickly, led her back to the booth, and moved to the side. "Come on then!" She spat at the first couple of people in line, who shrunk back in fear before rushing forward. After several hours and hundreds of kisses later, Santana began throwing everyone out of the auditorium. "Ay dios mio. Get out of here already!"

"Don't worry, guys! I'll be open after lunch!" Hermione called out to the group, hoping that they wouldn't start attacking the former cheerleader. "You know people are going to think you want me all to yourself if you're not careful," she teased the younger girl.

"Well, if they know what's good for them, they won't assume anything," the other girl muttered gruffly before grabbing the wavy-haired brunette and pushing her into one of the chairs in the front row. She hastily climbed on top of Hermione and began kissing the other girl's neck.

"Well, looks like I should start kissing more people in front of you if this is what I get in return," the British girl managed to choke out between moans.

"Shut it, Granger," the Latina growled out before kissing her deeply. After several minutes, the bell rang and people started banging on the door, wanting to be let into the auditorium.

"Guess that's my cue," Hermione panted out, gently pushing the feisty brunette back.

"I'll never get tired of that," Santana murmured happily, moving off of the older girl so the two could straighten up their clothes. They whipped their heads up when the door creaked open and were shocked when Quinn slowly walked in. "What are you doing here, Stretch Mark?"

"Santana, be nice," the older girl chastised. "Hey, Quinn, what can I do for you?"

"I, um, just wanted to help out the glee club," the blonde responded quietly, waving a dollar bill around lamely.

"Alright, step on up, Q," Hermione spoke warmly, moving behind the booth. The hazel-eyed girl slowly made her way onto the stage and handed her dollar over. She leaned forward and met the other girl's lips for a few seconds before Santana pulled her back.

"Time's up, Fabray," she informed her dangerously, earning an eye roll from Hermione.

"Calm down, love," the British teen whispered into her ear. "You know you're the only one I want." The Latina visibly calmed down at her words and released Quinn's arm. "Thanks for your contribution, Quinn. Do me a favor and send the others in when you leave?" She asked with a grin. The former head Cheerio nodded with a small laugh before turning around and walking up the stairs. The crowd rushed in yet again and Hermione found herself overwhelmed by the amount of people that wanted to kiss her. Once they were all gone, Santana gave her an odd look.

"Did you mean what you said about me when Quinn was here?" She questioned, sounding more vulnerable than Hermione had ever heard.

"Of course I did," the wavy-haired brunette replied with a dazzling smile. The two were so caught up in each other that they didn't notice the figure creeping up behind them.

"'appy Valentine's Day, 'ermione." Hermione spun around quickly at the sound of the all too familiar voice.

"Fl-Fleur? What are you doing here?" She spluttered out, a panicked expression evident on her face.

"I forced Ginevra to tell me where you were. I just 'ad to see you," the veela responded, while circling the wavy-haired brunette like a predator getting ready to claim its prey.

"Hermione, who the fuck is this?"

"One of my more clingy ex's, Fleur Delacour," the brown-eyed girl squeaked out. "She, um, didn't take it too well when I ended things with her."

"I think you need to leave, blondie,"the Latina growled out, throwing a protective arm around the shaking girl.

"What are you doing with this foolish Muggle, ma cherie? You know I could satisfy you so much better than _she _possibly could."

"Oh no she didn't!" Santana stormed up to the French woman and shoved her back. "I'm from a part of town called Lima Heights Adjacent. You know where that is? On the wrong side of the tracks. Now leave a'fores I ends you."

"Ooh, she is a feisty one, non?" The blonde cackled before forcefully pushing the girl back. Santana glared at her before smacking the taller woman across the face. The veela growled back and responded with a slap of her own, scratching the dark-haired girl's cheek in the process. The Latina yelped out in pain and lunged at the woman. They rolled around on the floor for a few moments throwing punches left and right before Hermione stepped in.

"Stop it! Both of you!" Hermione shrieked, pulling Fleur off of Santana and standing in front of the Latina protectively. "Fleur, I know you think I'm your mate and all that, but I'm not! You smothered me when we were together and that's only one of the many reasons why we didn't work. You have no right to come here and try to claim me, especially when I have finally found happiness! You weren't there for me after I finally got away from those Death Eaters and you weren't there for me after what Ronald did and you weren't there for me after my parents were murdered right in front of my eyes! Santana really listens to me and genuinely cares about me. With her, nothing is forced, it's all completely natural. And you know what? I've actually fallen in love for the first time in my life!" The brunette paused to take a deep breath and noticed the other two staring at her in shock.

"Very well, 'ermione. I'll leave for now, but I know you'll come crawling back when you get bored with 'er," the French woman spat dangerously, before storming backstage. After a loud pop was heard, Hermione knelt to face Santana.

"Oh, darling, are you alright? You didn't have to do that," she murmured quietly, gently caressing the younger girl's face.

"Of course I did. I had to protect you," the Latina responded bashfully, placing her hand over the British girl's.

"I honestly love you," Hermione slipped out before she could stop herself. Santana froze and glanced at the slightly taller girl frantically. "Look, you don't have to say it back or anything. I don't even know what we are, but I'm just happy you're giving me a chance. Let's go get you to the nurse to get that cut cleaned up." She stood and helped her lover up who was gazing at her with a dazed expression on her face.

"Uh, yeah, ok, um, baby, what's a Muggle?" The British teen rolled her eyes playfully.

"Where the bloody hell did you hear that word? Were you hit harder than I thought?"

"Um, no, I don't think so. That blonde bimbo said it. At least I think she did," the raven-haired girl said, while scrunching up her face in thought.

"You're adorable," the wavy-haired brunette told her with a smile before kissing her forehead and escorting her to the nurse's office.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: I wanted to get another chapter out before I went out of town this weekend, so here you go! **

**Just Another Crazy Radical: Thank you for the review. Haha, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I suppose I could always throw in a Scott Pilgrim vs. the World thing :P **

**Beautiful-Liar13: Thank you! In chapter 35 or 36, she does tell someone that she's a witch. But under what circumstances, hm? You'll just have to wait and see :)**

** Thank you again for the favorites/alerts! I hope you continue to enjoy this story!**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 30~<strong>

The next day, Hermione stood in the center of the choir room with a large smile on her face.

"Well, I did it, I kissed the majority of everyone at this school, some, er, multiple times and I raised $1,247 for glee club," Hermione informed the rest of the New Directions proudly as she handed over the money to her uncle. The room clapped enthusiastically for her before she moved to sit down next to Santana who immediately grabbed her hand and beamed at her.

"Wow, thanks, Mia, that's fantastic! Now, I believe it's time to hear what the world's greatest love song means to Miss Tina Cohen-Chang," the curly-haired man motioned for the Asian girl to come forward.

"This is for you, Mike. Happy Valentine's Day," Tina beamed before attempting to sing _My Funny Valentine_, but was overcome with too much emotion. Mike hurried up towards his girlfriend and wrapped his arms around her before guiding her back to their seats.

"Uh, Will, mind if I have a go?" The British girl questioned with a raise of her hand.

"Sure, Mia, go ahead," Will answered with a smile.

"Well, it should come as no surprise to you all, but Santana is not very good with expressing her emotions, so we decided that I'd be the one to sing the song to her," Hermione told them with a chuckle. "Now while the song I've chosen may not be a traditional love song, I think it conveys how I feel about our lovely Latina here." She threw a wink at the girl in question before picking up the nearest guitar.

"**I had no choice but to hear you.****  
><strong>**You stated your case time and again.****  
><strong>**I thought about it.**

"**You treat me like I'm a princess.****  
><strong>**I'm not used to liking that.****  
><strong>**You ask how my day was.**"

She met the raven-haired girl's gaze briefly and grinned as she began to sing the chorus.

"**You've already won me over in spite of me.****  
><strong>**And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet.****  
><strong>**And don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are.****  
><strong>**I couldn't help it,****  
><strong>**It's all your fault.**"

Hermione stuck her tongue out playfully, causing Santana to roll her eyes with a small smile.

"**Your love is thick and it swallowed me whole.****  
><strong>**You're so much braver than I gave you credit for.****  
><strong>**That's not lip service.**

"**You've already won me over in spite of me.****  
><strong>**And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet.****  
><strong>**And don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are.****  
><strong>**I couldn't help it,****  
><strong>**It's all your fault.**

"**You are the bearer of unconditional things.****  
><strong>**You held your breath and the door for me.****  
><strong>**Thanks for your patience.**

"**You're the best listener that I've ever met.****  
><strong>**You're my best friend,****  
><strong>**Best friend with benefits.****  
><strong>**What took me so long?**"

The wavy-haired brunette walked over to her lover and sat down next to her, their gazes never once faltering from each other.

"**I've never felt this healthy before.****  
><strong>**I've never wanted something rational.****  
><strong>**I am aware now.****  
><strong>**I am aware now.**

"**You've already won me over in spite of me.****  
><strong>**And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet.****  
><strong>**And don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are.****  
><strong>**I couldn't help it,****  
><strong>**It's all your fault.**"

The group began cheering loudly after she handed the guitar over to Sam and turned to face a beaming Santana, who quickly wiped away a tear.

"I don't believe it. Hermione's turned Santana human," Artie murmured in shock, earning several noises of agreement.

"Oh, shut up, four eyes," the Latina responded with a glare before pecking the British girl's cheek. "That's the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you, princesa," she whispered into her ear. Hermione smiled and snuggled into the other girl's side as Will moved into the center of the room.

"Well, guys, I think it's easy to see that you all have had no problem completing this week's assignment," the hazel-eyed teacher laughed. "Now, go on and get out of here and enjoy your Valentine's Day!" His students called out appreciatively as they gathered their things and began to exit the choir room. Soon, only Hermione and Santana were remaining. The older girl stood and yelped as she was swiftly pulled into the protective embrace of the raven-haired girl next to her.

"I don't really know what I did to deserve you," murmured the Latina as she placed a gentle kiss on the taller girl's neck.

"I was just thinking the same thing, love. I guess it was fate," sighed Hermione happily. "Oh, I almost forgot! Will you come with me to BreadstiX tonight to support Kurt, Blaine, and the rest of the Warblers?"

"Of course, baby. You know I can't resist BreadstiX and the fact that you'll be there makes it even better," Santana answered as she grabbed the taller girl's hand and led her out into the hallway.

"You're such a dork, but that's excellent. I'll let Blaine and Kurt know. Oh, and I have something special planned for you after the show, so be prepared. I'll pick you up at seven?" The former Cheerio nodded happily, earning a dazzling smile from Hermione. "Oh, and don't worry, I won't do anything too mental when I pick you up. Wouldn't want your parents to assume anything now, would we?" She informed her with a wink, causing the younger girl to quickly pull her into a nearby, abandoned classroom.

"You're the best," the Latina muttered fondly before kissing the other girl. "I can't wait until tonight."

"Neither can I," Hermione replied wistfully as their lips met again. When the couple finally went their separate ways, they each sped home in order to get ready for their first Valentine's Day together.

Several hours later, Hermione was driving to Santana's house when she noticed the ominous atmosphere surrounding her car. She slowed down and focused on the shadow moving up ahead. As the dark cloud moved rapidly towards her, the brunette paled in realization. She sped up and tried to swerve out of the way before the cloud burst through her windshield. Hermione gripped the steering wheel firmly as Bellatrix Lestrange morphed right next to her.

"Hell hath no fury like a veela scorned, Mudblood," the cruel witch sang as she trailed her fingers up and down the Muggle-born's arm.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

"Let's just say that your little veela friend wasn't too happy that you rejected her so close to this silly little holiday. She tracked me down shortly after she left you and willingly gave me your location," Bellatrix cackled dangerously before straddling the Gryffindor causing Hermione to tense.

"For someone who hates Mudbloods so much, you seem to rather enjoy touching me, Lestrange," taunted the wavy-haired brunette. The Death Eater growled before smacking her across the face.

"You better watch your mouth, girl," she snarled as she wrapped her hands around the younger girl's neck and squeezed tightly. "That filthy half-breed also told me about your little girlfriend. Perhaps I'll pay her a visit after I'm done with you," Bellatrix sneered. Hermione's face hardened at the gibe and wearily glanced at the Lopez household which was slowly coming into view. She closed her eyes briefly as a tear ran down her face. The former prefect opened her eyes and glared at the older woman. Summoning all of her Gryffindor courage, she realized what she had to do. She jerked the steering wheel over to the left as quickly as she could and lined up with the large patch of ice several yards in front of them.

"You won't lay a finger on her or anyone else again, you bitch," Hermione spat before slamming down the gas pedal. Before Bellatrix could fathom what was going on, the car made contact with the ice and flipped over repeatedly, eventually throwing the female Death Eater from the car, before crashing into a large tree with a sickening crunch.

* * *

><p>"Is your friend almost here, mija?" Mrs. Lopez called from the kitchen.<p>

"Si, Mami. She should be here any minute," Santana responded while glancing at her phone to check the time when she heard a terrible noise from outside. She ran out the door and froze when she saw a car, upside down, crushed up against the tree across the street. As she slowly neared the disastrous sight, all of the color drained from her face as she realized that the smoking hunk of metal used to be Hermione's car. The Latina rushed over to the car, almost tripping over the corpse of an unknown woman. When she reached the driver's side of the car, her stomach dropped. Hermione was covered in blood and pinned inside the vehicle.

"No, no, no, princesa, you have to be alright. I just found you, I can't lose you," she murmured through her tears after she called 911 and Mr. Schue. A few minutes later, several emergency vehicles pulled up as well as the choir director. Santana began shouting furiously in Spanish at the police officers who tried to pull her away from Hermione. Will hurried over to the distressed girl and wrapped his arms around her as he led her away from the wreckage so the paramedics could work on getting his niece out of the car.

"She'll be alright, Santana. She's a fighter," the curly-haired man choked out as they drove behind the ambulance. The former cheerleader nodded numbly as they reached the hospital. As they walked through the doors, they were met by the very worried faces of the New Directions, Blaine, and a very angry Harry Potter.

"What the hell happened?" He shouted at his best friend's uncle before pushing him roughly into a wall.

"Pleas calm down, Harry," the curly-haired man spoke soothingly. "As for what happened, we're not really sure. It looks like she intentionally sped at that patch of ice. I have no idea what could have possibly possessed her to do that. Oh, and there was another person with her apparently. A short, pale woman with wild black hair."

"Bellatrix," the green-eyed boy spat. "Did she make it?"

"No, she was thrown from the car and instantly killed. Why? Who is she?" Will questioned, fearful of the answer.

"I don't know if Mione would want me to tell you this, but considering the circumstances… Bellatrix Lestrange was, um, well, she—she's the main one who tortured Hermione for all those weeks she was missing, tried to kill her numerous times, and helped kill her parents," the Boy-Who-Lived informed them sadly.

"God, first that Fleur chick, now this crazy bitch. Who else is going to come here from Hermione's past and try to steal her away from me?" Santana cried out furiously as she began pacing.

"Wait, Fleur? When was she here?" The messy-haired boy inquired swiftly.

"A few days ago. She tried to get Hermione to choose her over me, but Hermione harshly rejected her. She got pissed and stormed off," the Latina spoke exasperatedly as Brittany approached her.

"I'm gonna kill her," Harry muttered darkly before exiting the hospital. The group heard a loud pop a few seconds later, but thought nothing of it.

"I can't lose her, Brit," the raven-haired girl sobbed as the blonde dancer wrapped her arms around her.

"You won't, Sanny. Hermy wouldn't do that to you. She loves you too much. And she's way too competitive not to be here to help us win Nationals," the blue-eyed girl spoke quietly as tears began sliding down her own face.

"This can't be happening," Blaine said disbelievingly before burying his head in his hands.

"You heard what Brit said. She'll make it through this. She's got to," Kurt responded as he hesitantly put one of his arms around the younger boy. After a few hours had passed, a tired looking doctor approached them.

"How is she?" Will exclaimed worriedly as he shot up from his seat in between Carole and Burt, who had arrived shortly after the doctors had begun operating on Hermione.

"She's very lucky to be alive, Mr. Schuester. We noticed severe bruising on her neck, so it appears that the woman who was thrown from the car was trying to strangle Miss Granger as she was driving. Our guess is that Miss Granger thought the best thing to do was crash her car to prevent the woman from harming her or anyone else with her dangerous behavior. As for her condition, she has several broken ribs, one of which punctured her right lung, a broken arm, severe head trauma, and other minor injuries such as cuts and bruises."

"When can we see her?" Santana blurted out, her eyes filling with tears yet again.

"Um, you can go in one at a time in a few minutes, but there's something you should know. There's no telling when she'll wake up. It could be a couple hours, a few days, weeks, months, or even years," the doctor informed them sadly before walking away. The Latina's gazed at him in shock before collapsing to the ground, her body wracked with sobs.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Yay, drama! Anyone see that coming? Personally, I have no idea from where it came. Anyway, the song in this chapter was _Head Over Feet_ by Alanis Morissette. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! **


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: I apologize for the delay but helping to run and organize two different conventions/conferences and started a new job have sort of taken over my life. I thank all of you for being patient with me and hope you like this chapter! I'm pretty sure it's my longest chapter to date, ha. Thanks again for all of the feedback! **

**Pineapple.X: Thank you so much! I hope you continue to enjoy this story :) And your English was great, by the way!**

**TobiasFangor92: Thank you for all of your reviews and I apologize for not getting this chapter out there sooner! :P**

**Mummification: Thank you again for your kind review. I failed to explain how Harry and the others arrived at the hospital before Will and Santana did, but I did explain it in this one. Hopefully, it makes sense, ha. I agree Santana needs to 'pull her fine ass out of the closet already', but alas, I love some drama. I hope you continue to like this story. And thank you, I did have quite a bit of fun while I was out of town. **

**Beautiful-Liar13: Thanks again for your reviews! :)**

**Ok, so for this chapter (until the song at least), lines "**_like_ _this_**" are a part of a flashback. And for the song, lines "like this" are sung by Hermione, lines "**_like_ _this_**" are sung by the New Directions, and lines "_like this_" are sung by Hermione and the New Directions. Alright, enough chit-chat, on to the story!**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 31~<strong>

Harry Potter walked into the hospital room that was growing familiar to him and sighed sadly upon noticing the raven-haired girl curled up next to his best friend. He approached her quietly and gently shook her.

"Santana," he murmured soothingly.

"What?" She growled out when she finally opened her eyes.

"You should go home and get something to eat before going to school. You look famished, darling."

"I can't leave her, Harry," Santana whimpered, staring at Hermione worriedly.

"I can keep a close eye on her until you get back. You know I would never let anything bad happen to her. Not again," the messy-haired boy told her with a small frown. The former cheerleader finally met his concerned gaze.

"Fine," she relented as she carefully climbed out of the wavy-haired girl's bed. "I'll be back after school, princesa," the Latina whispered and kissed her forehead before walking out of the room. Harry watched the other girl leave before sitting next to his best friend.

"I don't know if you can hear me, Mione, but that girl is crazy about you," the Boy-Who-Lived muttered as he grasped the former prefect's hand. He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a weary sigh. He should have been there to protect her the way she had always protected him. Harry ran his free hand through his hair, making it even more disheveled before thinking about the moment he got the phone call from Will.

"_Harry, I don't know exactly what happened, but Mia's been in an accident," the hazel-eyed man choked out. Harry paled and hurriedly stepped into his shoes while grabbing his wand as Will continued. "I'm on the way to the crash site now. Santana was the first one to stumble upon the scene and she sounded like she was falling apart on the phone." He paused. "I know Mia would want me to comfort Santana the best that I can right now, but I'm so worried about our girl."_

"_I'll apparate right over and figure out my way to the hospital from there. She'll be ok, Will. Hermione's a fighter," Harry managed to get out without breaking down. As soon as he got off the phone with his best friend's uncle, he disappeared with a 'pop'._

_He arrived a couples block away from Will and Hermione's apartment a few moments later and ran into the nearest establishment to ask for directions to the hospital._

"_Excuse me," he panted, trying to get the hostess' attention._

"_Hey, aren't you Hermione's friend?" A voice called out from behind him. _

"_Um, yes, who are you again?"_

"_Oh, I'm Rachel Berry. Not to be rude, but what are you doing here, Harry?"_

"_Hermione's been in a terrible accident. Will and Santana are at the site, waiting for the paramedics to cut apart the car," he muttered grimly. _

"_Oh, my god. Well, we'll give you a ride to the hospital and I'm sure Hermione's fellow glee clubbers would want to be there for her," she responded quickly before frantically searching the room for someone. "Finn! Get over here now and bring the rest of the New Directions!"_

"_What's going on, Rach?" A tall boy, Harry assumed was Finn, questioned with a tilt of his head. _

"_Hermione's been in a car accident and we're going to give Harry here a ride. The rest of you are more than welcome to come to the hospital. I'm sure Hermione, Mr. Schue, and Santana are going to need all of the support they can get," the tiny diva pointed out gravely as she grabbed Harry and Finn's hands and dragged them out into the parking lot._

_A few minutes later, Harry, the New Directions, and Blaine arrived at the hospital and asked if Hermione had arrived yet. The receptionist informed them that the ambulance was on its' way and smiled sadly at the group of teenagers before directing them to some nearby seats._

_As soon as he found out what Fleur had done, Harry apparated back to London to have an arrest warrant issued for the Veela. He arrived back at the hospital a couple hours later and collapsed upon hearing that the girl he considered to be his sister had fallen into a coma. _

"Harry?" Hermione groaned as she slowly opened her eyes, quickly pulling Harry away from his thoughts.

"Well, hey there, sleepyhead," he replied with a genuine smile, his eyes welling up with tears.

"Can I get some water?" The brown-eyed girl choked out. The former Gryffindor seeker nodded rapidly before casting a quick _Aguamenti _into a glass. Hermione slowly swallowed the water before looking up at her oldest friend. "How long have I been out?"

"Almost two weeks," the bespectacled boy informed her with a small frown.

"Oh, bloody hell. Santana's gonna kill me," the witch grumbled causing Harry to smirk slightly.

"Er, Mione, do you remember what happened?"

"I was driving over to San's house to take her out for Valentine's Day when Bellatrix ap—" She paused, a look of alarm covering her face. "Bellatrix! Did she survive?"

"No, she's gone, Mione. She's finally gone," Harry told her gently before kissing her forehead. "You rest, ok? I'm going to go call Will and get the doctor." The brown-eyed girl nodded wearily and closed her eyes. About twenty minutes later, she opened her eyes when she heard the door open and turned to look at whoever was coming in.

"Oh, Mia, I'm so glad you're alright. I thought I lost you," Will murmured as he embraced his niece, tears shining in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Will. I just didn't know what to do. She-she threatened to go after Santana," she whispered fearfully.

"It's ok, Mia. She's gone. She can't hurt you anymore," he responded soothingly.

"Well, Miss Granger, now that you've woken up, you just need to have a few tests done before we let you go." He paused and began conducting the tests before sharing the results. "Miraculously, your arm seems to have healed itself," he spoke, confusion evident in his voice. Hermione glanced at Harry who grinned sheepishly, shrugged his shoulders, and mouthed 'later'. "Remember to take it easy for the next several weeks. You may experience dizziness and headaches for a while, but I prescribed you something for that. Also, the slight discomfort you feel in your ribs will go away in a little less than a month. Alright, Miss Granger, you are free to go as early as tonight." The wavy-haired brunette beamed and climbed out of the hospital bed, eager to get home so she could take the healing potions she had kept after the war to relieve the pain in her ribs.

"Hold up there, Mia," Will stated before helping her back into bed. "I'm going to go fill out the paperwork and get you a wheelchair and then we can leave, ok?"

"Fine," Hermione groaned over-dramatically as she settled back into bed. "But hurry up, I want to get out of this ruddy hospital!" As soon as Will and the doctor had left the room, the brown-eyed girl turned to look at her best friend. "Harry James Potter, what did you do?"

"I may have snuck in Madame Pomfrey at night to heal you, so you could wake up faster and not be in as much pain…" he trailed off bashfully.

"Oi. Well, you're lucky that I love you so much," she teased before opening up her arms to him. The messy-haired boy hurried over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm so happy that you're awake," the green-eyed boy murmured into her hair. "I couldn't bear the thought of losing you, Mione."

* * *

><p>The next day, after arguing all morning with Will, Hermione dragged herself into McKinley High, rubbing her head and searching for her favorite Latina. She moved down the hallway and couldn't help but smile when she saw the dark-haired girl chatting away to Brittany.<p>

"Hey, San, Brit," she addressed them with a grin.

"Hermione!" Brittany squealed before lunging at the British girl and throwing her arms around her. "I missed you! How's your booboo?"

"Still a few cuts and bruises, but other than that I'm perfectly alright," the wavy-haired brunette informed her casually.

"That's great! Well, I'll see you later, I've got to go get leg warmers to put on my arms," she whispered seriously before skipping off.

"Hey, love," Hermione murmured with a smile, stepping up to the shorter girl who was trying not to meet her eyes.

"Hi. Um, it's good to see you. I gotta go," the former Cheerio spoke quickly before hurrying away. The other girl watched her walk away, hurt evident on her face.

Hermione made it through the rest of the day in a blur and walked into the choir room, thankful that it was time for glee. She sat down next to Quinn and Sam and look around the room until her eyes found a surprising figure sitting amongst the students.

"What's Sue doing here?"

"No idea, but it can't be good," the hazel-eyed girl responded as she warily glanced at the cheerleading coach.

"Guys, Coach Sylvester is going to be joining glee for a while."

"This cannot be happening," Tina gasped out in horror.

"It's not up for discussion. It's no secret that Coach Sylvester has taken her licks and I believe she could use a little sympathy from us."

"Sympathy? From us?" Mercedes asked incredulously.

"All she's ever done is make our lives miserable," Quinn said seriously.

"She got exactly what she deserved," Santana pointed out while glaring at the blonde woman.

"You're lucky I left my blow gun at home, Air Bags, 'cause I got a clear shot at your—"

"Oi! Will all of you cut it out? You're making my head throb. Sue may have hurt you all in the past, but cheerleading was her life. To get that taken away is awful for her and she is suffering greatly, even if she doesn't want to admit it. Everyone deserves a second chance, right? Isn't that what you lot are known for? Just trust Will on this one and who knows Sue may surprise us all." Hermione ended her speech and began to rub her aching head, just wanting to lie down for a few minutes and figure out why Santana was being so distant. Will approached his niece and moved her hands away from her face.

"Are you ok, Mia?" He inquired softly, his voice laden with concern.

"Yeah, Will, I'm fine," she replied with a forced smile. "Go on and introduce the lesson for this week." The curly-haired man nodded and moved back in front of the entire group.

"Alright, guys, Coach Sylvester has had her recent setbacks, but she is a proven champion and we could do worse than to have that kind of a winning record in our midst. Also, I would like to welcome back Hermione!" The group clapped enthusiastically for their friend before their teacher continued. "Now, I received an envelope in the mail today. We know we're facing Kurt and the Warblers at Regionals and it looks like this year, we face Aural Intensity again." He paused as the kids begin to groan. "Also, it seems like the governing board has assigned a theme to this year's Regionals and part of our score will be based upon how well we interpret it. This year's them: anthem. Now, who can tell us what an anthem is?"

"The bottom of an ant's pants," Brittany told them matter-of-factly.

"So close," the glee director encouraged. "No, an anthem is an epic song, filled with a groundswell of emotion that somehow seems bigger than itself, even bigger than the person performing it!"

"Will, mind if I give it a go?"

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Mia?"

"Yeah, just give me a moment," Hermione muttered as she took a bottle out of her bag and took a long drink of whatever was inside. She sighed happily as the pain in her head immediately died down. She walked over to the instruments and picked up an electric guitar. She strummed an all too familiar riff causing several glee members to smile.

"**Love is like a bomb, baby, c'mon get it on.****  
><strong>**Livin' like a lover with a radar phone.****  
><strong>**Lookin' like a tramp, like a video vamp.****  
><strong>**Demolition woman, can I be your man?****  
><strong>**Razzle 'n' a dazzle 'n' a flash a little light.****  
><strong>**Television lover, baby, go all night.****  
><strong>**Sometime, anytime, sugar me sweet.****  
><strong>**Little miss innocent sugar me, yeah.**

"**Hey!****  
><strong>**C'mon, take a bottle, shake it up.****  
><strong>**Break the bubble, break it up.**"

Right before she began the chorus, the rest of the New Directions joined in.

"_Pour some sugar on me._**  
><strong>**Ooh, in the name of love.****  
><strong>_Pour some sugar on me._**  
><strong>**C'mon, fire me up.****  
><strong>_**Pour your sugar on me.**_**  
><strong>**Oh, I can't get enough****.**"

Hermione smirked at Santana, who was shifting uncomfortably and trying to avoid staring at the other girl.

"**I'm hot, sticky sweet****  
><strong>**From my head to my feet, yeah.**

"**Listen! Red light, yellow light, green-a-light go!****  
><strong>**Crazy little woman in a one man show.****  
><strong>**Mirror queen, mannequin, rhythm of love.****  
><strong>**Sweet dream, saccharine, loosen up.**

"**You gotta squeeze a little, squeeze a little,****  
><strong>**Tease a little more.****  
><strong>**Easy operator come a-knockin' on my door.****  
><strong>**Sometime, anytime, sugar me sweet,****  
><strong>**Little miss innocent sugar me, yeah, yeah.****  
><strong>**Give a little more.**

"**Take a bottle, shake it up****  
><strong>**Break the bubble, break it up****.**"

At this point in the song, her fellow glee clubbers sans the fiery Latina came up to finish the song with her while Sam and Puck put their arms around the girl they had grown so found of.

"_Pour some sugar on me.__  
><em>**Ooh, in the name of love.****  
><strong>_Pour some sugar on me.__  
><em>**C'mon fire me up.****  
><strong>_**Pour your sugar on me.**__**  
><strong>_**Oh, I can't get enough.**"

"**I'm hot, sticky sweet****  
><strong>**From my head to my feet, yeah.**

"**You got the peaches, I got the cream****  
><strong>**Sweet to taste, saccharine.****  
><strong>**'Cause I'm hot, say what, sticky sweet****  
><strong>**From my head, my head, to my feet.**

"**Do you take sugar? One lump or two?**

"**Take a bottle, shake it up.****  
><strong>**Break the bubble, break it up.**"

"_Pour some sugar on me._**  
><strong>**Ooh, in the name of love.****  
><strong>_Pour some sugar on me._**  
><strong>**C'mon fire me up.****  
><strong>_Pour your sugar on me._**  
><strong>**Oh, I can't get enough.****  
><strong>_Pour some sugar on me._**  
><strong>**Oh, in the name of love.****  
><strong>_Pour some sugar on me._**  
><strong>**Get it, come get it.****  
><strong>_Pour your sugar on me._**  
><strong>**Ooh.****  
><strong>_Pour some sugar on me._**  
><strong>**Yeah! Sugar me!**"

"Wow, guys, that was great! Mia, I guess we don't have to worry about you having to make a comeback. You clearly know what you're doing up there!" Mr. Schuester praised ecstatically. He went over a few more ideas with his students before dismissing them a few minutes prior to the end of class.

"San, wait up!" Hermione yelled out, trying to keep up with the other brunette, who quickly made her way to her car. The British teen stopped when she reached the door and groaned in frustration before throwing her arms up in the air. "Women!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Hmm, why is Santana being so weird? Anyway, the song in this chapter was _Pour Some Sugar On Me _by Def Leppard.**


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: Hey, y'all, I am soooo sorry about taking so long to update. I started a new job a couple weeks ago and it has taken over my life. But never fear, the next chapter is here! **

**Mummification: Well, Harry stumbled into BreadstiX where all of the Glee kids were watching The Warblers perform, ha. I hope you continue to enjoy the story! **

**DragonsWillFly: Aww, thank you! :)**

**Pineapple.X: Thank you so much! **

**LieblingsWuermchen: Hahaha, thank you! Sorry for making Fleur a bitch. It was painful for me to do so!**

**unexpected sabotage: Thanks for all of your reviews! And wow, lots of questions. I guess you'll just have to keep reading to find out ;) **

**Once again, thank you all so much for your feedback. It really makes me want to be a better writer. Plus, it makes me smile, haha.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 32~<strong>

**_Previously: _**_"Wow, guys, that was great! Mia, I guess we don't have to worry about you having to make a comeback. You clearly know what you're doing up there!" Mr. Schuester praised ecstatically. He went over a few more ideas with his students before dismissing them a few minutes prior to the end of class._

_"San, wait up!" Hermione yelled out, trying to keep up with the other brunette, who quickly made her way to her car. The British teen stopped when she reached the door and groaned in frustration before throwing her arms up in the air. "Women!"_

"You ok, Mione?" Harry Potter asked his very distracted best friend after her first day back at school.

"Yeah, I guess. I thought Santana was just being funny about returning my calls once I got out of the hospital because she wanted to see me face-to-face, but now she's acting like she wants nothing to do with me," the wavy-haired brunette answered with a huff as she plopped down next to her fellow Gryffindor, who immediately wrapped an arm around her.

"Well, you did say she has trouble expressing her feelings, right?" The green-eyed boy questioned as the girl nodded with a frown. "Well, she was the first one who found you after the accident and she thought you were dead. Maybe she's scared."

"You just might be right about that, Harry James Potter," the former prefect mused aloud, thinking of a plan to win the girl back. "I've really enjoyed these past couple of days with you, you know."

"I know, I have too. I wish I didn't have to leave tomorrow, but I've got to get back to training," the raven-haired boy murmured sadly as he stood up to pop his back.

"I'll see you and Ginny in a couple of weeks for Regionals though, right?" Hermione asked quietly, vulnerability shining in her eyes.

"Of course, Mione, we wouldn't miss it!" He replied with a large smile, picking up the girl and swinging her around causing her to erupt in a fit of giggles. The two remaining members of the Golden Trio spent the rest of the evening reminiscing about their years at Hogwarts before the soon-to-be Auror apparated back to London.

The next afternoon, Hermione sent a text to Brittany and Quinn asking them to get Santana to the auditorium by whatever means necessary. She sat at the piano, idly fingering the keys until she heard a furious, albeit familiar voice.

"What the hell, Q? You and B gots to stop manhandling me! You'll damage my goods!"

"Oh, shut up, S. Go sit in the front row or else we'll show everyone those pictures of you cuddling with B's cat and crying over _The Notebook_," the former head cheerleader ordered as she and Brittany sat down on either side of her to hold her down in case she tried to flee.

"Thanks, guys," Hermione called down to the two blondes amusedly. "Santana, I don't know exactly what's going on with you, but I hope this will make you want to give me another chance. Oh, and before I start, I do know that you have gorgeous brown eyes." The Latina gazed at her with a raised eyebrow before the British girl began playing the piano. After playing the intro, she opened her mouth to sing.

"**It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside.  
>I'm not one of those who can easily hide.<br>I don't have much money, but boy if I did,  
>I'd buy a big house where we both could live."<strong>

Hermione, afraid to look out at her audience, closed her eyes tightly as she continued to play the heartfelt song.

"**If I was a sculptor, but then again, no.  
>Or a man who makes potions in the travelling show<br>I know it's not much, but it's the best I can do.  
>My gift is my song and this one's for you.<br>And you can tell everybody this is your song.  
>It may be quite simple but now that it's done,<br>I hope you don't mind,  
>I hope you don't mind that I put down in words,<br>How wonderful life is while you're in the world.**

"**I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss.  
>Well, a few of the verses, well, they've got me quite cross.<br>But the sun's been quite kind while I wrote this song.  
>It's for people like you that keep it turned on.<br>So excuse me forgetting but these things I do  
>You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue<br>Anyway the thing is what I really mean  
>Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen.<strong>

"**And you can tell everybody, this is the song.  
>It may be quite simple, but now that it's done.<br>I hope you don't mind,  
>I hope you don't mind that I put down in words,<br>How wonderful life is while you're in the world.  
>I hope you don't mind,<br>I hope you don't mind that I put down in words,  
>How wonderful life is while you're in the world."<strong>

As Hermione played the last few notes, she finally opened her eyes and glanced over to see a teary-eyed Santana staring up at her adoringly. The blondes took this as their cue to leave and quietly slipped out of the auditorium.

"Well, what did you think?" The British girl asked shyly as the raven-haired girl moved onto the stage. The slightly shorter girl didn't say anything as she stepped closer to Hermione and wrapped her arms around her. The older girl sighed contentedly as she relaxed into the embrace.

"I'm so sorry for how I've been acting recently," Santana managed to choke out, tightening her hold on her companion. "When I saw you after it happened…when Harry mentioned who that other woman was…I got scared. I thought I lost you," she informed her as a few tears trickled down her face.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily. I love you too much," Hermione murmured when she finally met Santana's eyes.

"I love…um, every song you perform, especially this one." The taller girl smiled at her slip-up and leaned down to kiss her forehead. They were so caught up in each other that they didn't notice a frantic looking Sam running in, waving his arms over his head.

"Guys, you better get to the choir room. Rachel and Mercedes are about to have a diva-off and it's looking intense." Santana rolled her eyes but followed her lover as she hurried up to the football player to hear his explanation on what had transpired between the two divas.

"Well, this should be interesting," Santana grumbled as she and Hermione sat down in the back row, hands linked together. "I bet Sue has something to do with this…"

"Oh, hush, give her some credit. I mean, it was only a matter of time before there was a diva-off with those two, right?" Hermione pointed out with a chuckle as they began performing _Take Me or Leave Me_.

"Hey, where's the hate?" Sue demanded to know after their performance as the two divas embraced good-naturedly.

"Ok, love, you were right," the British girl told the Latina with a sigh as the younger girl smirked at her triumphantly.

"So you wanna get outta here? I believe I need to get reacquainted with you and your glorious body," Santana murmured seductively after they were dismissed from class. Hermione stifled a groan at her words before grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the door.

"Hey, Will, I'm going to Santana's. Don't wait up!" The wavy-haired brunette called out over her shoulder as she dragged Santana to her car.

"Well, somebody's eager," chuckled the former cheerleader as she settled into the driver's seat.

"Excuse me. I haven't been properly shagged in over two weeks!" The young witch shrieked, causing the other girl to begin laughing hysterically.

A few hours later, the two lovers were lying next to each other contentedly. Santana moved her head off of Hermione's chest and looked down at the scars covering the older girl's torso. She began lightly tracing them with her fingers causing the British girl to shudder.

"I'm sorry, I know they're repulsive," the wavy-haired brunette muttered sadly, closing her eyes tightly.

"No, they aren't. Your battle scars are sexy as hell. I mean, even though I didn't know you back then, I wish I could've protected you from that bitch," the Latina growled out angrily. "I'd totally go all Lima Heights on her crazy ass."

"I know you would, darling," Hermione smiled fondly before placing a kiss on the top of the younger girl's head. "Thank you."

"For what?" The raven-haired inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"Making me feel beautiful."

* * *

><p>"Good morning, gorgeous!" Santana called from the open window in her car as Hermione came into view the next morning. The other girl rolled her eyes playfully before hopping into the vehicle.<p>

"Hello to y— Oh, my god, what the bloody hell are you wearing?" Hermione snorted when she saw Santana.

"It's a carousel horse sweater. It's totally in right now!" She answered defensively, throwing her arms up into the air.

"Yeah, maybe if you're Rachel Berry."

"What, you don't like the sexy schoolgirl look?" The Latina pouted as the two made their way inside the school.

"Oh, please, I perfected the sexy schoolgirl look at my other school. Didn't I tell you that we wore uniforms?"

"Um, no, you didn't. I gots to see that now," she growled huskily, trying to avoid grabbing the other girl and pinning her up against the nearest wall.

"Ok, ok, I'll wear it to school eventually, but it's gonna be a surprise," the British girl told her with a wink before strutting down the hallway and into her uncle's office for a quick cup of tea before class. She sat down a few seconds before Will and Sue came in.

"Will, you have a problem."

"You?" Will offered sarcastically, quickly hugging his niece.

"No, your glee kids, they have no comprehension skills. Your assignment was anthems and I'll be damned as your hairdresser if any one of them sung a single one, except for Hermione of course."

"Thanks, coach," Hermione answered with a smile directed at the taller woman.

"Sue, are you trying to tell me that you want to perform an anthem?"

"Well, I'll admit that your little field trip to the house of sad inspired me a bit, but I'm not gonna go it alone. The whole crew has to sing it with me and I want Hermione and Sand Bags to sing the leads."

"Well, that can be arranged," the curly-haired man informed her with a grin. "What's your song?" The blonde woman simply smirked as she and Will began planning the number, causing the young witch to roll her eyes at the adults' behavior.

The next afternoon, Hermione and Santana led Sue and the New Directions in My Chemical Romance's _SING_. After the performance, only the two lead vocalists remained sitting on the edge of the stage.

"You know we sounded pretty good together," Hermione murmured lazily from the Latina's side.

"That's all you have to say? I was thinking that we look like a couple of stereotypical lesbians with our flannel shirts and lumberjack hats," Santana replied with a smirk.

"So romantic," the British girl chuckled as she pulled out her vibrating phone. "Blimey, Rachel's calling an emergency glee meeting."

"Berry can wait, I'm comfy," the former Cheerio groaned, snuggling further into Hermione's side.

"C'mon, we have plenty of time to 'gets our cuddling on' later," Hermione said in her best Santana impression.

"Whoa, stick to your original accent, princesa, it's so much sexier." The older girl rolled her eyes and pulled her raven-haired companion up before dragging her to the choir room.

"Ok, now that everyone has _finally_ arrived, I'd like to say something. While, Santana and Hermione's performance today was quite admirable, the song is not strong enough to win Regionals. The Warblers have Kurt and Blaine as their one-two punch and Aural Intensity kicked our butt last year. We can't just do any song to beat either of those two teams."

"You mean a number where you don't get to sing the entire song," Mercedes scoffed, crossing her arms.

"This isn't about me," Rachel responded meekly, losing her nerve.

"Give her a break, guys. What do you suggest, Rach?" Hermione addressed the small diva with a smile.

"We need to be bold and epic," she paused, taking a deep breath. "We need to write our own original music for Regionals. We need an undisputable advantage. We can't lose Regionals again this year, you guys. You have to trust me. I feel really, really strongly about this."

"Let's put it to a vote, ok, Rachel?" The choir director suggested reasonably. "All those in favor of doing an original song?" Rachel enthusiastically raised her hand, before Hermione joined her. She elbowed Santana hard in the side, who rolled her eyes but reluctantly raised her hand as well. "Chemical Romance?" Everyone else's hands shot up. Rachel sat down dejectedly before Hermione stood up.

"Look, why don't we compromise. We'll do both original and existing songs. Hell, the original song could be our anthem and we could close with that. I'm sure the judges would love that."

"I agree with her," Santana spoke with a fond smile directed at the British girl as Puck made a whipping noise, earning a fierce glare from the Latina.

"So do I!" Rachel shrieked excitedly.

"Anyone have a problem with that? No? Good, then it's settled. We'll do both. Class dismissed," the wavy-haired brunette said playfully as her uncle stuck his tongue out at her. Before she could make her way back to Santana, she was attacked by an enthusiastic Rachel Berry bear hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"No problem, Rach. You were right about that song not being strong enough to win Regionals," she informed her with a genuine smile as she hugged the girl back.

Once the New Directions went their separate ways after class, Hermione approached Finn.

"Why the hell didn't you stand up for Rachel?" She questioned with a dangerous glint in her eyes.

"Uh, I, uh, w-w-well you spoke up before I could?" The quarterback offered lamely, cowering away from the older girl.

"You are her boyfriend, Finn Hudson! You should have been the first person to step in and help her," the brown-eyed girl told him with a frustrated sigh.

"Why do you even care so much?" Finn asked suspiciously.

"Because I've been the girl who had no one to stand up for her and it hurts more than you can know," Hermione murmured sadly, causing Santana to frown and wonder just what else her lover had been through. "Just try to be there for her even if you are afraid of what other people will think because the more people she has in her corner, the better."

"Um, ok, I'll try to be better at that. Can I go now? I'm starting to get really hungry."

"Get outta here, Frankenteen," Santana growled as she moved closer to the taller girl.

"Uh, yeah, alright. See you guys tomorrow!" He called out over his shoulder as he fled the room.

"You ok, princesa?"The Latina inquired with a tilt of her head as she wrapped an arm around the British girl.

"Yeah, I'm alright, just thinking about my old school. I was bullied a lot there because I was a bit of a bookworm and vehemently stood up for my rights. I mean, obviously some people found that alluring, but most gave me hell for it." The former cheerleader immediately felt guilty, thinking of how much she used to bully people before wrapping the other girl up into her arms.

"Thank you," the raven-haired girl muttered.

"For what?" The Gryffindor questioned with a puzzled expression.

"Making me want to be a better person."

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Well, hopefully that wasn't too atrocious, haha. The song was "Your Song" by the lovely Sir Elton John.**


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry for taking so long to get this out. I sort of lost inspiration for a while. For the song in this chapter, lines "like this" are sung by Hermione, lines "_like this_" are sung by Rachel and Hermione, and lines** "_like this_**" are sung by Rachel. Once again, terribly sorry for the delay, but thank you to all of you for remaining loyal to this story!**

**unexpected sabotage: So sorry for not getting this out any sooner, but I hope you continue to enjoy this story! :)**

**xOrax: Thank you! **

**Pineapple.X: Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it! Their interactions are so much fun to write!**

**DragonsWillFly: I'm a huge Bellatrix fan too, haha. Thank you for your kind words though! I hope you like this next chapter :)**

**On to the story!**

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><p><strong>~Chapter 33~<strong>

Loud music was blaring out of the weight room as Hermione continuously threw punches at the bag hanging in front of her. She closed her eyes tightly as memories from the past began to creep back into her mind and began another relentless assault of the punching bag. She'd already been at school for several hours, her body was glistening with sweat, but she refused to give in to her fatigue. The Gryffindor was so focused on what she was doing that she didn't hear someone calling out her name. When the music clicked off, she spun around furiously.

"Whoa, Granger, it's just me," Santana answered cautiously, holding her hands up.

"Oh, sorry, San. I wasn't expecting anyone to find me here," the British girl informed her meekly.

"Sam told me you like to come here sometimes," the Latina shrugged. "Is everything ok, Mia?"

"Ye—actually, no. It's just...I know she's gone, but I'm scared she's going to come back," she muttered vulnerably. "But then I get pissed because she turned me into this—_this_ hateful person." The shorter girl frowned and placed her hands on the other girl's shoulders.

"Princesa, stop. You are the most loving and caring person I know. And it's ok to be scared, but I promise you that I will make sure no one ever hurts you again." Hermione finally looked up, meeting the raven-haired girl's concerned gaze and gave her a watery smile.

"Thanks, love," the older girl murmured tiredly. "I really need to shower," she mused out loud.

"Wanky," smirked Santana as she eyed the girl who was wearing nothing but a pair of barely there shorts and a sports bra. "And as much as I would love to join you, I'm going to go tell your teacher that you'll be a few minutes late."

"You're so sweet, San," the young witch beamed as she made her way to the girls' locker room for a quick shower.

"Yeah, don't go around telling anyone that!" The former Cheerio yelled out playfully as she walked out into the hallway.

A few hours later, Santana made her way to her locker only to grin happily upon seeing Hermione waiting for her.

"Hey, are you feeling any better?" The shorter girl inquired with a tilt of her head.

"Yeah, love, thanks to you," the British teen responded with a smile. The two girls just stared longingly at each other before Santana's phone rang.

"It's Weezy," she spoke with a roll of her eyes. "Make it quick," she drawled into the phone. "Oh god. It sounds awful." The Latina looked at the older girl and mouthed 'the hobbit is having a party'.

"San, be nice!" Hermione chastised sternly as Brittney approached them.

"Is anyone actually going?" The dark-eyed girl asked her best friend before facing a now glaring Hermione and apologizing to her lover for mocking Rachel yet again.

"Let me find out," Brittany stated, amused at the sight of the Latina begging the older girl for forgiveness. "Hey, babe. Did you hear?" She asked into her phone.

"Yes, Mercedes just told me," Artie spoke with an uncomfortable laugh.

"You're going, right?" Mercedes voice rang out from Santana's phone.

"Only if there's liquor. Because a Rachel Berry party is not something I can do sober," the raven-haired girl told the diva, earning a smack upside the head from Hermione.

"Seriously, San! Rachel is not _that_ bad!" The British girl shrieked, crossing her arms and glaring at the Latina.

"But it's alcohol awareness week," the ditzy blonde pointed out, while giggling at the two girls.

"Precisely. And I'm aware of how much fun alcohol is. Let's ask Puckerman," Santana pointed out with a crooked grin, trying to win the British girl over. She started to dial the boy's number when Hermione sprinted away from her side and into Puck's arms.

"Hey, Herms, how are ya?" The taller boy asked her with a rare, genuine smile while spinning her around as the others came into view.

"Getting annoyed by San as usual," she informed him while sticking her tongue out at the her lover, who began to pout.

"Hey, guys, sup?" The football questioned, putting down the wavy-haired brunette.

"Can your friend score us some wine coolers?" The raven-haired girl asked as she scooted closer to Hermione, who was trying to ignore her.

"No, but his ID can."

"Seriously? Wine coolers?" The British girl snorted, giving her lover an incredulous look.

"Oh, hush, you," Santana growled back playfully as she poked the older girl in the stomach causing her to squeak and jump up.

"Back to the original subject at hand," Mercedes interrupted with a grin as the group entered the choir room. "Well, if we're all in, it's settled. The Rachel-Berry-House-Party-Train-Wreck-Extravaganza is officially a go."

"This better be fun," grumbled the tan-skinned girl.

"I'm sure it will be, but hopefully there is something a lot stronger than some wine coolers. I definitely could use a drink after the past couple of weeks I've had," chuckled Hermione, causing Santana to frown and grab her hand reassuringly.

A few days later, Hermione and Santana entered the Berry household and were ultimately shocked by the complete and total lameness of Rachel's first attempt at throwing a party. The Latina turned around to leave forcing the taller girl to link their arms and drag her over to a fuming little diva.

"Noah, I will not allow you to do that! My dads trusted me to be responsible!"

"Rach, honey, you gotta let Puck break into your dads' liquor cabinet or people are going to start leaving," Hermione whispered into her ear urgently. "Trust me, I won't let anything get too out of control." The diva sighed, but nodded at Puck who suddenly looked like a kid in a candy shop.

"I bet you're a lightweight," Santana informed the older girl beside her after she was handed a plastic cup.

"Oh, how wrong you are about that one, love," she replied with a wink before grabbing a bottle of gin from the boy with the Mohawk and taking a long drink out of it.

"So hot," groaned Santana as she gazed at the other girl lustfully. She quickly grabbed the British girl and pulled her over to the makeshift dance floor. Things were rapidly heating up between them before Rachel's voice tore them out of their thoughts.

"It tastes like pink! It tastes like pink! Let's play spin the bottle!"

"Berry, stop squawking! Fuck, talk about a turn off... Um, you up for a little spin the bottle?" The raven-haired girl asked, trying to calm down her racing heart.

"You won't get jealous?" Hermione pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course not!" She pushed Hermione to join the circle and went to make herself another drink. When she came back she saw that Brittany was spinning the bottle. After a few seconds it landed on Hermione. The guys started cheering loudly as Brittany leaned over the bottle, meeting Hermione halfway.

"Finally!" The blonde dancer cheered, closing her eyes.

"You know what? A reminder, I owns those lovely British lips. They belongs to me!" Santana interjected before her friends' lips touched. After several moments, they broke apart, earning a glare from the fiery Latina. "Berry, spin the fucking bottle!" She spat. Rachel frantically did as she was told and spun the bottle, which landed on Hermione yet again. "Oh, hells no! Is that damn bottle rigged?"

"Santana, relax, it's all a part of the game," Artie told her with a roll of his eyes as Rachel inched closer to an amused looking Hermione. Their lips touched for a few seconds before the British girl started pulling away, only to be pulled back in by the diva.

"Uh, Rachel…" Finn began uncomfortably.

"Hobbit, get off my woman! No me gusta!" Santana screamed pulling Hermione over to her. "You like the dwarf better than me," she began to cry.

"Love, you know you're the only one I want. Calm down, ok?" The taller girl murmured to her fuming companion. "Bloody hell, who knew you of all people would be the weepy girl drunk," she snorted.

"I'm sorry. It's the alcohol talking," the Latina murmured bashfully as she tried to regain her composure. "Wait, how come you're not drunk?"

"I'm used to drinking a lot stronger stuff back home," she replied with a smirk, thinking of all the nights she drank Firewhiskey with Harry. She kissed the other girl passionately before she felt someone drag her up onto the stage.

"This is my new duet partner!" Rachel squealed, handing a microphone to a confused looking Hermione.

"Um…" The wavy-haired brunette started to speak before Rachel started singing.

"_My head is in a spin__  
><em>_My feet don't touch the ground__.__  
><em>_Because you're near to me,__  
><em>_My head goes round and round.__  
><em>_My knees are shakin' baby,__  
><em>_My heart it beats like a drum._"

Hermione rolled her eyes playfully before joining the shorter brunette on the chorus.

"_**It feels like,**__**  
><strong>__**It feels like I'm in love.**_"

Hermione looked up at Santana and winked, causing the Latina to laugh and shake her head.

"**Ain't been this way before,****  
><strong>**But I know I'm turned on****.****  
><strong>**It's time for something baby,****  
><strong>**I can't turn off****.****  
><strong>**My knees are shakin' baby,****  
><strong>**My heart it beats like a drum.**"

Rachel skipped across the stage and spun the British girl around so they were standing back to back for the chorus.

"_**It feels like,**__**  
><strong>__**It feels like I'm in love.**__**  
><strong>__**My knees shake,**__**  
><strong>__**My heart beats like a drum.**_

The girls put their hands up on their foreheads before throwing their heads back dramatically.

"_**It feels like,**__**  
><strong>__**It feels like I'm in love.**__**  
><strong>__**My knees shake,**__**  
><strong>__**My heart beats like a drum.**__"_

"_Ooh baby. Ooh baby. Ooh baby._"

Rachel sang as she strutted towards the center of the stage and bent over to grab Finn, placing a sloppy kiss on the football player's lips. The remaining New Directions shuddered and returned their focus on the wavy-haired brunette up on the stage.

"**My head is in a spin,****  
><strong>**My feet don't touch the ground.****  
><strong>**Because you're near to me,****  
><strong>**My head goes round and round.****  
><strong>**My knees are skakin' baby,****  
><strong>**My heart it beats like a drum.**"

The young witch pulled Rachel away from her flustered boyfriend and motioned to her that they had to finish the song.

"_**It feels like,**__**  
><strong>__**It feels like I'm in love.**__**  
><strong>__**My knees shake,**__**  
><strong>__**My heart beats like a drum.**_

"_**Ooh baby. Ooh baby.**__**  
><strong>__**Ooh baby. Ooh baby.**_"

Once they finished the song, their friends cheered loudly for them before Rachel attempted to take a bow causing her to fall off the stage and into Artie's lap. Santana snickered before helping Hermione take the diva up to her room.

"Ok, Rach, you get some sleep, alright? San and I will stay here and keep an eye on you if that's alright," the older girl muttered soothingly, running her fingers through the weary girl's hair.

"Mmpff, thanks, Mione. Satan is a very lucky lady," Rachel answered with a yawn, burying her face into her pillow. Once the tiny brunette was sound asleep, the British girl dragged the former Cheerio back to the basement to help clean up the mess the New Directions had created.

"Princesaaaaa, why do we have to stay?" Santana whined as they walked down the stairs. Hermione turned around and gently pushed the tanned-skin girl into the wall.

"Because this was Rachel's first time drinking and she needs someone responsible to watch over her in case she gets sick. Please, love, I'll make it up to you," she whispered huskily, placing kisses all over the shorter girl's neck.

"So not fair," groaned the Latina. "Fine, fine, fine! But this does _not_ mean that I care about the hobbit. I only care about sweet lady kisses with you."

"That's my girl," chuckled the Gryffindor as they joined the others, trash bags in hand.

"Ok, mates, we have a mess to clean up!" The former prefect began passing around trash bags to the group of singers.

"Mia, remind me again why we have to do this?" The raven-haired girl pouted a few minutes later, looking disgustedly at a pile of sticky cups.

"Because it's the right thing to do! And if you keep whining, I won't reward you later for helping me out." This statement shut Santana up and she hastily shoved all of the trash into several trash bags as Hermione decided who could drive and who couldn't.

"Ok, Finn, you haven't been drinking, you can take Sam, Quinn, Puck, and Mercedes in your truck. Kurt, you stayed sober to impress a now very wasted Warbler, so you can take Blaine, Brittany, Artie, Mike, and Tina. San and I will stay here to keep an eye on Rachel since neither of us should probably be driving. Sound good?" Finn looked like he was about to protest before Kurt elbowed him harshly in the side. The step-brothers nodded and thanked Hermione for helping them round up the drunken teens.

Once they were finished cleaning, the two girls collapsed tiredly on the couch, snuggling into each other.

"Ugh, my head is spinning. Why did I drink so much?" Santana grumbled as the wavy-haired brunette kissed the top of her head.

"Because you were jealous of Rachel and Brittany getting to kiss me?" The older girl snickered.

"I didn't really mind Brit as much. I mean, she is my best friend, but the dwarf went too far," the dark-eyed girl growled.

"Love, relax. No one's got anything on you. Now finish your water and get some sleep."

"You're amazing," the younger girl murmured before kissing Hermione quickly and throwing a blanket over them.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: I'll really try to get the next chapter out in a couple of days! Song was "Feels Like I'm in Love" by Kelly Marie.**


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: Hello, everybody! First off, I want to apologize to y'all for taking so long to update. I've been busy with work and then I moved into a new place and was without internet for a few days. Secondly, thanks to everyone who has stuck with this story! I really appreciate all of the support :)**

**unexpected sabotage: Why thank you! I hope you enjoy this next chapter as well!**

**DragonsWillFly: Haha, that is exactly the look I had in mind when I wrote that. Thanks for your kinds words :)**

**I Love Santana: Thank you so much!**

**Now that the camps I was helping to run are over with and I'm fairly settled into my new apartment, I _should_ be able to update more frequently. Who knows, maybe your encouragement will help me update faster ;)**

**Anyway, onto the story! Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 34~<strong>

"Goooooood morning, gorgeous!" Hermione sang out cheerfully, waking up a slumbering Santana.

"Thefuckareyouon?" The Latina grumbled, throwing the blankets over her head. "Immastillsleeping."

"So charming, love," chuckled the wavy-haired girl. "I guess I'll go wake Rachel up. Hopefully she doesn't try kissing me again…"

"She better not!" Snarled the younger girl, shooting up from her spot on the couch. "Oh, fuck, I think I'm gonna be sick." She hurried to the closest bathroom and threw herself in front of the toilet.

"San," the British girl sighed sadly as she held her lover's hair back away from her face.

"Miiiiaaaa, I feel shitty," the raven-haired girl groaned, leaning her head against the wall.

"I'm so sorry, darling. Why don't I take you home and get you in bed?" The former cheerleader was about to protest before another wave of nausea hit her.

"Ok," she pouted, allowing Hermione to help her up. The older girl led her lover out to the car and gently lifted her into the passenger's seat before settling into the driver's seat herself. "Princesa, are you ok to drive? I know you're still worr—"

"I'll be fine, love, just give me a minute," the British girl replied while taking a deep breath. After a few quiet moments with Santana glancing worriedly at the other girl and rubbing her thumb over the back of her hand, Hermione backed out of the driveway and headed to the Lopez household. Once they arrived and silently made their ways up to the Latina's room, the witch got the younger girl settled in bed. "Alright, San, I'm going to go back to Rachel's, but I'll be back to check on you in a couple of hours, ok?" She assured her with a kiss on the forehead as the former cheerleader nodded sleepily.

"Hurry back to me, mi amor…" Santana murmured before burying herself into her pillow. Hermione crept out of the girl's bedroom, a large smile on her face due to Santana's words, and began walking down the stairs as quietly as she could. She had almost made it out the front door before hearing the sound of someone clearing her throat behind her. She spun around swiftly, smiling sheepishly at an amused-looking Maribel Lopez.

"Hola, Hermione," the older woman chuckled.

"Uh, hi, Mrs. Lopez," the British girl blushed, running a hand through her hair.

"What has that girl been up to now?"

"Erm, she was just really tired. We didn't get a lot of sleep last night at Rachel's slumber party."

"So you're telling me I should go put some aspirin and water on her nightstand?" Mama Lopez questioned with a smirk as Hermione nodded slowly. "I know she drinks, querida. She just doesn't know that I know, so we'll just keep it that way, alright?" The Latina said playfully, winking at the stunned Gryffindor.

"You are so bloody awesome, Mrs. Lopez," the young woman finally managed to get out. "I really need to go check on Rachel though."

"Si, go check on the girl. Don't be a stranger now," the shorter woman told her, wrapping her arms around the girl, before letting her go and shooing her out the door.

The following Monday at school, many of the members of New Directions were still suffering from the affects of Rachel's party.

"I need to close my locker and it's going to sound like a gun shot," Tina growled out, contemplating just leaving her locker open all day.

"I've had the worst hangover since Saturday and it's Monday," spoke Mercedes painfully.

"I've been dry-heaving all weekend. When my mother asked me what the sound was, I said that I was practicing bird calls," Santana groaned out. "Surprisingly, that just caused her to laugh and shake her head."

"Hey, guys!" Hermione called out happily as she approached the group.

"Jesus, Hermione, how are you functioning?" Mike asked her as he held his stomach.

"Magic?" She teased, linking her arm with Santana's.

"If I didn't like kissing you so much, I'd kill you," the Latina muttered darkly.

"Aww, thanks, baby. I love you too!" The group rounded the corner and ran into Puck, Artie, Sam, Brittany, and Quinn. "Well, blimey, I should've worn sunglasses too," the older girl chuckled.

"I've brought some Bloody Marys, y'all," Artie informed them weakly.

"Are you kidding me? The last thing I want to do is drink."

"It'll help your hangover. That's what Bloody Mary's are for," the bespectacled boy stated matter-of-factly.

"Well, pass it around then!" Hermione ordered, pouring herself a drink.

"How is she this chipper and able to drink that like it's water?" Quinn questioned the raven-haired girl.

"I have no idea," moaned the Latina as she watched Hermione down her third drink.

Several minutes later, the New Directions finished their performance of _Blame It (On the Alcohol)_ for an overall impressed Will Schuester.

"Wow, guys, that was great! I totally believed that some of you were actually drunk!" He praised them with a smile as his niece smirked at her fellow glee clubbers. "Problem is, that song albeit as great as it is, sort of glorifies drinking. We're supposed to be singing about the dangers of alcohol at this assembly.

"Well, good luck with that one, Will. I'm all for alcohol awareness, but have you ever even heard a song promoting responsible drinking? I don't think it exists…" Hermione trailed off as Rachel interrupted her.

"Mr. Schue, first of all that vest is very cute. You are all kinds of awesome," she told him, slightly slurring her speech and stumbling over to the British girl. "But second, Hermy's right. Maybe there are no songs about the dangers of alcohol because there aren't any as long as you have a proper designated driver." She paused and began lifting the taller girl's shirt up. "Have I ever told you how awesome you are?" Hermione snickered before an angry Latina dragged her away from the drunken diva.

"Well, yes, driving drunk is dangerous. Any of you guys heard of alcohol poisoning? It kills about four hundred people every year." The sound of someone sniffling made him stop. "Santana, are you crying?"

"I'm ok, I'm ok," she choked out as an entertained Hermione wrapped her arms around her and kissed her on the cheek.

"You are such a hypocrite! You drink. Most adults do," Quinn pointed out accusingly.

"I may have a beer every now and then, but I don't get drunk."

"We're just saying this is a waste of time. We're totally aware of alcohol. We see adults drinking and having fun. Every commercial during NASCAR is for beer."

"What's NASCAR?" Hermione inquired with a tilt of her head causing Santana to stop crying and gaze at her fondly.

"Ok, ok, ok, enough, guys. Look, tomorrow, we're going to spend the entire day brainstorming about songs to perform at this assembly." The group groaned and turned their backs on him before whispering amongst themselves.

Later the night, Hermione was sitting at the table doing her homework when the door slammed open. She grabbed her wand and whipped her head up only to see an incredibly drunk Will being led in by Coach Beiste.

"Miiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaa!" He exclaimed, almost falling over.

"Whoa, easy, partner," the football coach chuckled. "You think you can handle him, Hermione?"

"Yeah, no problem, coach. Thanks for getting him home!" The teenager called out to her as she led her uncle to the living room. "I see you had a good night, Will," she teased as he collapsed onto the couch.

"Mmhmm," he mumbled sleepily.

"I'm gonna go get you some water. Stay put," she stated firmly. As soon as she was gone, Will grabbed his phone and dialed an all too familiar number.

The next morning, Hermione stood backstage with the rest of the New Directions, preparing for the assembly.

"Long night?" Santana inquired as wrapped her arms around her from behind.

"Will came home completely sloshed last night," she managed to get out before yawning as her fellow performers began to panic.

"Never fear, teammates. Now it's a Broadway tradition for nervous performers to take a shot of whiskey before going on to calm their nerves and to mask the stench of bad dental hygiene. In that tradition, I've mixed us a playful showbiz cocktail of what was left in my dads' liquor cabinet. There's some brandy and vermouth and port wine and scotch in here, and also a little bit of Kool-Aid and some crumbled up Oreos," Rachel sped out, passing around drinks.

"Oh my God, this tastes like cough syrup," the Latina coughed.

"There's also cough syrup. Cheers!" As the group drank Rachel's nasty concoction, Principal Figgins began their introduction.

"And now, performing the hit single 'Tik and also Tok' by rapper Ke-$-ha: the New Directions!"

Brittany tore open the curtains and began singing and dancing around the stage. The performance was going flawlessly until Brittany stumbled over to Hermione and vomited all over her.

"Oh, bloody hell. Um, everybody, drink responsibly!" Hermione called out before running off the stage and into the nearest bathroom, Santana following closely at her heels. When the two girls rushed off, they heard Sue yelling at the student body to stay in their seats. As soon as the British girl entered the girls' locker room, she began tearing off her clothes before hopping into the shower in her bra and underwear. When Santana rushed into the bathroom, her heart stopped.

"Oh, fuck," she groaned, staring at the dripping wet girl.

"Oh, um, hey, love," the wavy-haired girl replied, a blush adorning her cheeks. "Care to join me?" The former cheerleader didn't need to be told twice as she hastily locked the door and hurried out of her clothes and into the shower. She pushed the slightly taller girl up against the wall before crashing their lips together.

"I guess we can cross this place off on our list," Santana panted as she handed her lover a towel several minutes later.

"Um, what list?" Hermione questioned as she grabbed some of Santana's extra clothes to put on. "Do you mind if I wear these?"

"Of course not," smirked the Latina. "And, you know, the list of all the places we want to have sex in."

"I did _not_ know such a list existed," the British girl spoke disbelievingly.

"Oh, yeah, princesa. You should see some of the places I have on it," she winked as she too threw on some clothes.

"Do I even want to know?" The older girl sighed with a small smile directed at the other girl. The raven-haired girl shrugged with a laugh.

"C'mon, let's get out of here." She grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her out towards her car. "Do you need help with your Spanish homework?" The former Cheerio inquired once they were both settled in the vehicle.

"Yeah," the older girl mumbled with a frown. "Do you still need me to proofread your history paper?"

"That'd be great," beamed the younger girl. "And don't sweat it about Spanish, ok? I know you love your uncle, but the man is a lousy Spanish teacher."

"Yeah, I know," she sighed. "I just hate not being perfect at something, especially when it's academically related."

"Princesa, you are the smartest, most beautiful, kind person I know. Never doubt that, ok?"

"What did I do to deserve you?"

"Give me plenty of unbelievably great se—"

"Santana!" Hermione shrieked, smacking her upside the head.

"What? I was gonna say serenading opportunities!"

"Sure you were," the British girl deadpanned as they walked into the Latina's house.


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: Hey, guys, thanks for the awesome feedback! Here's the latest chapter! The next one should be up over the weekend assuming nothing too crazy happens. **

**For the first song, lines "**_like this_**"**** are sung by Holly, lines** **"**like this**" are sung by Holly and the New Directions. For the second song, lines "like this" are sung by Hermione. **

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>~Chapter 35~ <strong>

Hermione couldn't help but roll her eyes at her classmates' obliviousness when it came to sex, but when Finn said something about cucumbers giving you AIDS, she slammed her forehead onto the desk.

"Got something to say, girlie?" Holly Holliday questioned with a smirk, walking over to the British girl.

"I guess I'm just astounded by how little this lot knows about sex. I mean, I went to a boarding school for six years and I know a hell of a lot more than you lot. Wait, maybe that's why I know more," she mused aloud with a teasing smile directed at Santana, who shifted uncomfortably. The blonde woman chuckled and went back to her place in the front of the classroom.

"You would wear your old school uniform on the day we have sex ed," the Latina whispered huskily to the Gryffindor.

"Oh, you know you love it," the wavy-haired brunette responded with a wink, forcing the former cheerleader to groan and cross her legs tightly.

"Ok, guys, class dismissed. See you tomorrow! Hermione, may I see you for a moment?" Holly asked, while sitting on her desk. "And yes, Santana, you can wait up for her." The Latina looked down bashfully, and murmured her thanks.

"What's up, Holly?"

"Most of the kids in your class really are clueless about this stuff. Feel free to come to me if the Glee club needs a little helping hand. And I say that as innocently as possible," she smirked causing the British girl to laugh.

"Will do! You should go say hi to my beloved uncle when you get the chance. I know he missed you," she sang out playfully before grabbing Santana's hand and pulling her out of the classroom.

"I'll see you in the choir room later, right?" The raven-haired girl questioned as they stopped by the older girl's locker.

"Of course, love," Hermione replied with a playful roll of her eyes.

"Sweet. I'm gonna go find Brit. See ya later, Mia!" The shorter girl hurried off to find her bubbly best friend. As she walked off, the wavy-haired brunette couldn't help but shake her head with a smile at her lover's behavior.

That afternoon in Glee, Artie had a shocked expression on his face when their teacher finally walked in.

"Artie, you ok?" The hazel-eyed man questioned as approached the boy, concern shining in his eyes.

"My life is over. How am I supposed to support a baby?" The boy in the wheelchair gasped out before looking at Brittany. "How could you not tell me about this?"

"Wait, Brittany, are you pregnant?"

"Definitely. I am so sorry, Artie. I didn't want to upset you. I thought I could just surprise you when it dropped him off. I'm pretty sure it's a boy," the blonde informed him seriously.

"Um, babies don't get dropped off…"

"Brit, have you been to a doctor yet?" Hermione inquired soothingly, trying to keep an angry Latina from attacking the bespectacled boy in front of them.

"I don't need to go to the doctor. I just need to look outside my window. Three days ago, a stork built its nest on top of my garage. I'm not stupid, it's obviously getting ready to bring me my baby. I know where babies come from."

"Storks aren't even common in Ohio…" Rachel began matter-of-factly, falling silent at the glare she received from Santana.

"Uh, Will, I think we need Holly to come in and talk to us," the brown-eyed girl spoke to her uncle.

"Yeah, I think you're right," he replied with a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Well, that was fun," Hermione deadpanned as they climbed into Santana's car after Glee.

"I thought I was gonna have to cut Wheels there for a moment."

"Easy there, tiger," chuckled the older girl, grabbing the Latina's hand and lacing their fingers together. Santana smiled at the gesture and turned up the radio, singing along to whichever Top 40 hit was currently playing. Hermione gazed at the other girl lovingly, glad that she got to see a side of the raven-haired girl not many people were privy to. As soon as they climbed out of the car at the Lopez household, Santana checked to see if there were any cars in the garage before grabbing Hermione's Gryffindor tie and dragging her into the house.

"I take it your parents aren't home, darling?" She was answered by the younger girl's pouty lips meeting her own.

"Princesa, just be quiet."

* * *

><p>The next day in Glee, the New Directions watched with avid interest as their teacher wrote 'sexy' on the board.<p>

"I really hope that's not a requirement for Regionals because with Berry in those tights, we don't stand a chance," Santana stated condescendingly, earning a playful smack from the taller brunette next to her. "Hey! It was only a joke!"

"No, this isn't about Regionals. I'm less worried about that right now and more worried about the fact that it's become clear to me that some of you have been lacking when it comes to understanding the, uh, the intricacies of adult relationships."

"Oh, bloody hell," Hermione groaned at her uncle's gracelessness.

"I want to spend the week educating ourselves about some of these intricacies."

"Is this the appropriate forum for that?" Rachel questioned in horror, eyes wide.

"Whenever we've had issues in the past that are on our minds or giving us problems, it's always helped us to sing about it, so this week, I've invited a special guest…Miss Holliday!" The kids cheered happily as the blonde woman strutted in confidently.

"Ok, so sex. It's just like hugging, only wetter." At this, Santana turned to look at Hermione with a knowing look on her face, her thoughts clearly going back to a few weeks ago after the alcohol awareness assembly. Hermione rolled her eyes and pointed at Miss Holliday, who began speaking again. "Ok, so let's start with the basics. Finn, is it true you thought you got your girlfriend pregnant via hot tub? And Brittany, you think that storks bring babies? Well, that's all going to end right here, right now. Today, we are going to get under the covers, all together, and get the ditty on the dirty."

"Uh, what about those of us who choose to remain celibate?" The small diva interjected, placing a hand on Quinn's shoulder, only to have the blonde shake it off.

"Oh, well, I admire you. Although, I think you're naïve and possibly frigid, I do admire your choice." Santana couldn't help but snort at Quinn and Rachel's appalled expressions.

"I think this is a good time for a song!" Will called out, beginning to question whether or not this was a good idea.

"Oh, yes, ok! Hermione, get over here." The British girl did as she was told and grinned mischievously as Holly told her what to do. She walked over to the instruments and picked up an electric guitar. "Rule number one: every intimate encounter that you're ever gonna have in your life is gonna start with a touch." Hermione took this as her cue to start playing.

"Oh my god, look at what she's doing to that guitar," Tina gasped out as Santana groaned lustfully.

"_We've been here too long,__  
><em>_Tryin' to get along__ .__  
><em>_Pretendin' that you're oh so shy."_

The blonde teacher pointed at Santana and Brittany and motioned for them to join her. The girls smirked at each other, grabbing their chairs, and dragging them to the center of the room before dancing around them.

"_I'm a natural ma'am,__  
><em>_Doin' all I can.__  
><em>_My temperature is runnin' high._

"_Cry at night,__  
><em>_No one in sight.__  
><em>_An' we got so much to share.__  
><em>_Talking's fine__,__  
><em>_If you got the time.__  
><em>_But I ain't got the time to spare.__  
><em>_Yeah!"_

The rest of the New Directions hurried to join Holly and the two former cheerleaders for the chorus.

"Do you wanna touch? (Yeah)  
><span>Do you wanna touch? (Yeah)<span>  
><span>Do you wanna touch me there? Where?<span>  
><span>Do you wanna touch? (Yeah)<span>  
><span>Do you wanna touch? (Yeah)<span>  
><span>Do you wanna touch me there? Where?<span>  
><span>There, yeah.<span>  
><span>Yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah.<span>"

At this point in the song, Santana moved over to grind up against Hermione, whose eyes quickly darkened with lust. The Latina smirked and quickly nipped at the other girl's neck before moving back to the center of the room.

"_Every girl an' boy__  
><em>_Needs a little joy.__  
><em>_All you do is sit an' stare.__  
><em>_Beggin' on my knees,__  
><em>_Baby, won't you please__  
><em>_Run your fingers through my hair?_

"_My, my, my__  
><em>_Whiskey and rye,__  
><em>_Don't it make you feel so fine?__  
><em>_Right or wrong,__  
><em>_Don't it turn you on?__  
><em>_Can't you see we're wastin' time? Yeah!"_

"Do you wanna touch? (Yeah)  
><span>Do you wanna touch? (Yeah)<span>  
><span>Do you wanna touch me there? Where?<span>  
><span>Do you wanna touch? (Yeah)<span>  
><span>Do you wanna touch? (Yeah)<span>  
><span>Do you wanna touch me there? Where?<span>  
><span>There, yeah.<span>"

Holly eventually moved her way over to the two members of the Celibacy Club and dragged them over to the rest of the kids.

"_Do ya? Do ya?  
>Do ya? Do ya?<br>Touch me there, you know where  
>Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.<br>Oh yeah, do ya? Do ya?"_

As soon as Hermione set down the guitar, she felt familiar hands pulling her out of the room and into the nearest janitor's closet.

"Well, this is romantic."

"Shush, princesa, I wants to gets my mack on." After several moments had passed, Hermione pulled away, panting.

"Wait, San. Wh-what are we doing here?" She asked shyly, avoiding the other girl's gaze.

"Having fun?" Santana stated matter-of-factly, leaning in to kiss her again.

"San, I love you more than I've ever loved anyone, but if you don't feel the same way, I don't want you to keep stringing me along. I don't want to just be your experiment. It-it hurts too much," the British girl murmured sadly before exiting the closet and heading back to the choir room to pick up her things. Santana followed her out and stood in the hallway watching her walk away dejectedly. She frowned and decided that she needed to talk to someone about her relationship with the beautiful brunette.

* * *

><p>The Warblers hit the last note and the group of girls in the audience squealed giddily, but before anyone could say anything a slow clap rang out from the entrance of the warehouse.<p>

"Well, boys, that was cute," a voice that the boys knew all too well called out. "But let me show you how it's really done." With that being said, Hermione walked up to the structure in the middle of the room and made her way to the top, she swung her electric guitar in front of her and winked at the girls who were looking at her curiously. She tapped her foot and began playing the intro.

"**So 1, 2, 3, take my hand and come with me****  
><strong>**Because you look so fine****  
><strong>**And I really wanna make you mine.**

"**I say you look so fine****  
><strong>**That I really wanna make you mine.**

"**Oh, 4,5,6, c'mon and get your kicks.****  
><strong>**Now you don't need that money****  
><strong>**When you look like that, do ya honey?"**

She smirked at the group of girls who started giggling and jumping up and down with delight as she hopped down to the next part of the structure.

"**Big black boots,****  
><strong>**Long brown hair,****  
><strong>**She's so sweet****  
><strong>**With her get back stare.**

"**Well I could see****  
><strong>**You home with me,****  
><strong>**But you were with another man, yea!****  
><strong>**I know we,****  
><strong>**Ain't got much to say,****  
><strong>**Before I let you get away, yea!****  
><strong>**I said, are you gonna be my girl?**

"**Well, so 1,2,3, take my hand and come with me****  
><strong>**Because you look so fine****  
><strong>**That I really wanna make you mine.**

"**I say you look so fine****  
><strong>**That I really wanna make you mine.**

"**Oh, 4,5,6 c'mon and get your kicks.****  
><strong>**Now you don't need that money****  
><strong>**With a face like that, do ya?**

"**Big black boots,****  
><strong>**Long brown hair,****  
><strong>**She's so sweet****  
><strong>**With her get back stare.**

"**Well I could see****  
><strong>**You home with me,****  
><strong>**But you were with another man, yea!****  
><strong>**I know we,****  
><strong>**Ain't got much to say,****  
><strong>**Before I let you get away, yea!****  
><strong>**I said, are you gonna be my girl?**

"**Oh yea. Oh yea. C'mon!****  
><strong>**I could see,****  
><strong>**You home with me,****  
><strong>**But you were with another man, yea!****  
><strong>**I know we,****  
><strong>**Ain't got much to say,****  
><strong>**Before I let you get away, yea!****  
><strong>**Uh, be my girl.****  
><strong>**Be my girl.****  
><strong>**Are you gonna be my girl?! Yea!"**

Hermione played the last few notes and jumped off the platform before the girls from Crawford Country Day surrounded her, throwing their phone numbers at her. She smiled at them and took a step back.

"Sorry, ladies, but I'm kind of taken." The girls pouted and exited the warehouse disappointedly, causing several of the Warblers to hurry after them.

"Does that song express your feelings for a certain raven-haired Latina by the name of Santana Lopez?" Kurt inquired with a crooked grin as he embraced her.

"Yes," the British girl replied with a frown. "I don't know what we're doing exactly. All of my other relationships with girls have been purely physical, but I want it to be different this time. Maybe this is what I get for never trying to be in an actual relationship with someone."

"Hey, stop that. And she might not come right out and say it, but she's crazy about you. You should've seen her at the hospital after your accident," Blaine informed her while he wrapped his arms around her.

"Yeah, she was by your bedside whenever anyone came to visit you and she literally had to be dragged out by Puck to get something to eat," the taller boy informed her with quietly.

"…really?" The boys nodded. "No one ever told me that."

"Well, I'm sure she threatened them into not telling you," the blue-eyed boy chuckled.

"Typical San," the brown-eyed girl murmured with a small smile.

"C'mon, let's go get some coffee! We haven't hung out in a while," whined Blaine as he dragged Kurt and Hermione to his car.

"So what's been up with you two?" The older girl inquired as they waited for their orders to be ready.

"Other than trying to embrace our sexiness?" Blaine laughed, rubbing the back of his neck embarrassedly.

"I'm about as sexy as a baby penguin," Kurt grumbled with a frown.

"Hey, that's not true. Remember _Toxic_? And Quinn showed me a video of your _4 Minutes _performance with Mercedes. If that wasn't sex appeal you were radiating, then I don't know what it was," Hermione told him genuinely, smiling when he blushed.

"I really want to see those performances," Blaine muttered, his eyes glazing over. "Erm, I mean, I'm going to go get the coffee!"

"I think he liiiiikes you," the British girl sang to the brown-haired boy in front of her.

"I can dream, can't I?" Kurt sighed out wistfully. "He just sees me as a friend though," he pouted.

"Uhhuh, sure he does," the young witch said quietly to herself, wondering when her two friends were going to realize they were made for each other. Several moments later, the younger Warbler came back to the table, carrying their drinks.

"Here you go, m'lady."

"Thanks, Blaine," she spoke tiredly.

"Are you ok, hon? You don't look like you've been sleeping well…" Blaine pointed out worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she responded, trying to stifle a yawn. The two Warblers glanced at each other sadly, knowing that their friend was hiding something from them and came to an understanding of what they had to do…call Satan herself.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Songs were "Do You Wanna Touch Me?" by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" by Jet. **

**I'm already working on editing the next chapter and finishing this story, so hopefully updates will come regularly! **


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry it took a little longer than I thought. I've had a lot going on. Thanks again for all of the wonderful feedback!**

**tinygleek: Thanks for the reviews! I hope you continue to enjoy the story :)**

**TobiasFangor92: Don't you worry, there will be some more Quinn drama sooner than you think! **

**BadWolfRisen: Thank you so much! :)**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>~Chapter 36~<strong>

Santana took a deep breath before walking into the library in search of a familiar head of blonde hair. She turned the corner abruptly and ran into the woman in question.

"Excuse me, Miss Holiday, I really need your advice on something," she murmured uncomfortably, refusing to meet the older woman's gaze.

"Alright, Santana, come with me," the substitute teacher spoke with an encouraging smile. The two made their way to an empty class room. Upon their arrival, Holly turned off the light, placed some pillows down on the floor, and motioned for the Latina to take a seat. "Ok, girlie, what's up?"

"I have all of these…feelings. Feelings for Hermione and I don't know how to…express them the way she deserves," Santana murmured sadly, finally looking up at the woman across from her. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I only knew it was only a matter of time before you realized your feelings for our lovely British resident," the older woman beamed as the former cheerleader gazed at her with wide eyes.

"What! Does everyone know?" She shrieked, shooting up from her spot on the floor to start pacing.

"No, although I'm sure Brittany knows how deep your feelings run for Hermione. Now, please sit back down and listen to what I have to say, alright?" The younger girl sat back down with a huff. "Do you love Hermione?" Santana nodded slowly. "Do you want to be with her in a serious relationship?" Another nod. "Then who cares about everyone else! It's none of their damn business. Your relationship with Hermione is just that. _Yours_. It's between the two of you."

"I've just never felt like this before, but she just makes me feel so happy to be alive," the Latina sighed wistfully. "I guess love has made me her bitch," she chuckled.

"Ain't nothing wrong with that, sweet cheeks. Now the next step…what are you going to do about it?"

"Actually I think I have a song in mind, but I might need your help with it…"

"I thought you'd never asked," Holly answered with a smirk.

A few hours later, Santana was driving home feeling much better than she had earlier about her relationship with the beautiful brunette. As she pulled into her driveway, her phone began to ring. Rolling her eyes at the name flashing across the screen, she answered with an impatient sigh.

"What do you want, Porcelain?"

"Hello to you too, Satan," the boy replied sarcastically. "I'm actually calling about Hermione."

"Is she alright? Was there another accident?" Santana questioned rapidly, panic evident in her voice.

"Santana, calm down. Blaine and I just dropped Hermione off at her place. We're just worried about her."

"Do you want to meet up at the park so we can talk about this face-to-face?" The raven-haired girl asked, reluctant to meet up with the Wonder Twins, but concerned for the girl who had stolen her heart.

"Alright, see you there in five minutes."

A few moments later, the former cheerleader approached Kurt and Blaine at the playground and sat down next to them on one of the swings.

"Hello, Santana," Blaine greeted her with a warm smile.

"Yeah, yeah, hi," the Latina replied with a nod. "So, what's going on with my girl?"

"Have you noticed that she hasn't been sleeping well lately?" Kurt asked her gently.

"And she's really distracted too," the younger Warbler pointed out.

"Yeah, I noticed, but she always brushes it off whenever I try asking her about it," Santana answered with a frown. "You don't think it's something I did, do you?" She murmured dejectedly.

"No, I really don't. I think there's something she's hiding from us. We just can't figure out what it is," the curly-haired boy spoke sadly.

"I mean, Regionals is coming up, but I don't think that would cause her to be this stressed out," the former member of New Directions interjected. The three sat silently, pondering over various scenarios until Santana slapped her palm against her forehead.

"I'm so stupid," she groaned. "Remember that woman who tried to attack Hermione on Valentine's Day?" The boys nodded. "Well, that wasn't the first time they'd come across each other. I think it's almost been a year since she and those other people kidnapped Hermione…"

"Oh my god," the brown-haired boy gasped. "Is there anything we can do?"

"I don't think we should force it out of her. We all know how hard it is for her to talk about what happened in her past. As hard as it's going to be…I think we should wait for her to open up to us. For now, we just need to be there for her," Blaine spoke up with a frown. Kurt and Santana nodded their agreement before the three finally went their separate ways.

When the Latina got into bed that night, she knew she had to put her plan into action as soon as she could. She wanted Hermione to know that she was serious about her and maybe, just maybe, the British girl would realize how much she loved her, even if those three little words were impossible for the younger girl to say.

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><p>"C'mon, Mia, we have to get to glee!" Santana called out, dragging Hermione down the hallway the next afternoon.<p>

"Whoa, calm down, love. I don't think I've ever seen you this excited to go to glee," teased the British girl. "Now, just stop and stand still for a moment." Santana groaned but stopped fidgeting. "Thank you. You look really beautiful today," she murmured quietly, grinning down at the shorter girl.

"So do you," the former cheerleader responded with a shy smile. "Now, come on!" Seconds later, Hermione found herself sitting in the front row of the risers, looking confusedly at Santana who was sitting next to Holly on a stool.

"San, what's going on?"

"Just listen, ok? The song should speak for itself." The blonde woman began strumming the guitar before opening her mouth to sing.

"_I took my love and I took it down.__  
><em>_I climbed a mountain and I turned around.__  
><em>_And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills,__  
>Where<em>_ the landslide brought me down."_

After the first verse, Santana's watery gaze locked onto the British girl.

"_Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?__  
><em>_Can the child within my heart __rise above?__  
><em>_Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?__  
><em>_Can I handle the seasons of my life?__  
><em>_Oh, oh. __Oh, oh.__ Oh, oh. __Oh, oh.  
><em>_Oh, oh. __Oh, oh._ _Oh, oh."_

As the Latina and substitute teacher continued to sing, Hermione felt her eyes fill up with tears as well.

_Well, I've been afraid of changing__  
><em>_'Cause I've__ built my life around you__  
><em>But time makes you bolder  
><span>Children get older and I'm getting older too<span>  
><em>Well, I'm getting older too.<em>

_So, take this love and take it down__  
><em>_Yeah, if you climb a mountain and you __turn around_  
><em><span>And If you see my reflection in the snow covered hills<span>__  
><em>_Well the landslide brought me down__  
><em>_And if you __see my reflection__in the snow covered hills  
><em>_Well maybe,_ _well maybe_,_ the landslide will bring you down_

Everyone looked upon Santana in shock as she and Miss Holliday finished the song.

"San?" The Latina slowly moved off of the stool to stand in front of Hermione. "What are you trying to say?"

"I want to be with you…officially. Princesa, will you be mine?" She managed to choke out quietly.

"I thought you'd never ask," the older girl responded, wrapping her arms around the raven-haired girl, who was now openly crying.

"Hey, that's my line!" The blonde woman called out from behind them as she wiped away a single tear from her cheek.

"Well, I want to applaud Santana for allowing us to see her vulnerability. Brava!" Rachel praised, earning a glare from the former cheerleader.

"If any of you tell anyone about this, I's will cuts you. Do I make myself clear?" The group nodded fearfully as Hermione rolled her eyes, before kissing the girl in front of her.

The next day, Hermione entered the auditorium and sat down next to Santana with a yawn. The Latina immediately grabbed her hand and turned to look at her, concern shining in her eyes.

"You ok, mi amor?"

"Yeah, just tired," she replied distractedly. The former cheerleader wasn't convinced, but before she continued, the rest of the New Directions hurried into the auditorium eagerly awaiting the Celibacy Club's performance. As soon as the intro to _Afternoon Delight_, Hermione began snickering.

"Are they singing what I think they're singing?" Santana whispered from next to her.

"Yes, love, they are singing about a quickie in the afternoon."

"Well, that gives me a great idea…" The Latina trailed off suggestively.

"Oi. Just pay attention. We're here to support Quinn, Puck, and Rachel." The dark-haired girl scoffed, but put her arm around her girlfriend and pulled her close. Once the song was finished, Holly took it upon herself to break the awkward silence.

"Hi, um, Holly here. So I'm a little confused. Isn't this a strange song for the Celibacy Club to sing?"

"Why? It's so wholesome. It was written during the bicentennial to celebrate America and fireworks," the guidance counselor spoke innocently.

"No…it's about sneaking out for a nooner."

"Yes! Exactly! A nooner is when you have dessert in the middle of the day, right? Right, Carl?"

"Aww, poor Emma," Hermione murmured as she pulled Santana up with her.

"Where are we going?"

"Can we go back to your place and just cuddle?" The raven-haired girl gazed into her tired eyes before wrapping her arms around the taller girl.

"Of course, princesa. Let's get outta here."

Several hours after the British girl left, Santana was awoken by her cell phone ringing.

"Hello?" She growled out sleepily.

"Santana? It's Mr. Schue. Sorry for calling so late, but it's about Mia…" Suddenly, the former Cheerio heard an ear-piercing scream ring out in the background.

"I'm on my way." Santana made it to Mr. Schue's building in record time and sprinted to the door. She pounded on it for a few seconds before she was met with worried hazel eyes.

"I don't know what's wrong. Her nightmares have never been this bad. She won't wake up and she keeps thrashing around. I'm afraid she's going to hurt herself," the curly-haired man informed her sadly as they rushed to Hermione's room. As soon as Santana saw her, she felt her heart breaking. She moved onto the British girl's bed and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend.

"Princesa, you need to try to wake up. I'm right here. I'm not going to hurt you," she murmured soothingly. After several moments, the other girl started to calm down. "Is it alright if I stay the night? I don't really want to leave her alone."

"Yeah, of course, Santana. Try to get some sleep, ok?" Will told her quietly, flickering off the light. The Latina nodded and snuggled up against the sleeping girl. The hazel-eyed man smiled at the pair before closing the door behind him.

The next morning, Hermione began to stir. When she opened her eyes, she was met with familiar chocolate brown eyes.

"Hey, not that I mind, but what are you doing here?"

"Your uncle called me at two o'clock in the morning because your nightmares were so bad," Santana told her worriedly. "And I think I know why you've been so distracted lately. It's because it's almost been a year since those people took you, right?" The British girl looked at her with tear-filled eyes before nodding slowly.

"I know she's gone, but I can't get her out of my head," she choked out. "Every time I close my eyes, there she is looking down on me. Every time I take my clothes off, I see the numerous scars littered all over my body. She made me so ugly inside and out."

"Hermione Jean Granger, stop right there. You are the most beautiful, loving, caring person I know. The fact that you are such an amazing person after everything you've been through should speak volumes to you. You are wonderful and no one is going to take that away from you." She paused. "And you've made me a better person, so you should definitely win an award for that."

"I love you so much," the British girl muttered before kissing her softly. Santana pulled back, a serious expression on her face, before she took a deep breath and opened her mouth to reply.

"I…love you too. No, scratch that. I love you _more_." Hermione looked at her with wide eyes before a dazzling smile appeared on her face.

"That's the first time you've said that to me."

"I know," the Latina answered shyly. "I should've said it a long time ago. I love you so friggin' much."

"You don't know how happy I am to hear you say that," the older girl said, snuggling closer to her girlfriend. "Since it's the weekend, are you ok with staying in bed for a while?"

"Of course, mi amor," Santana replied, tightening her hold on the girl in her arms. As she gazed down at the wavy-haired brunette, she realized without a doubt that she had done the right thing in expressing her feelings for the other girl.

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><p><strong>AN, part II: Song was "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac. I'm hoping to have the next chapter up within the next week or so. Once again, thank you so much for the feedback, it truly means the world to me. **


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: Hey guys! Something a lot of you have been waiting for occurs in this chapter! Hopefully, I did it justice. Once again, thank you for all of the feedback. Y'all are so, so, so wonderful. **

**DragonsWillFly: Thanks again for taking the time to review! I always look forward to your reviews :) And it was about time Santana came to her senses, wasn't it? :P**

**Ky: Sorry! I have a very...eclectic taste in music. But thank you for your review :) I hope you're enjoying the music as much as the story!**

**dayla859: I'm glad you're enjoying it! As for your question, you'll just have to read this chapter to find out ;)**

**TobiasFangor92: Haha, what can I say? You gave me the push I needed to update! **

**Fun fact-I have the last part of this story written, now I just need to go back and finish the chapters in between, haha. **

**Enjoy! **

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><p><strong>~Chapter 37~<strong>

About a week had passed and Hermione found herself being led into the choir room by a very enthusiastic Rachel.

"Ok, so, I really took all of your notes from _My Headband _to heart and I really tapped into my pain for this second song," the little diva told her with a proud smile.

"Alright, so why don't you show me what you've got," the taller girl replied encouragingly as she sat down. Rachel smiled at her again and handed her a box of tissues.

"These are for you. Just in case. It's pretty emotional." Hermione rolled her eyes good-naturedly and motioned for the other girl to get on with it.

"…_the only Berry on my family tree_," Rachel sang, finishing up her second attempt. "It's called _Only Child_."

"You don't say?" Hermione chuckled before standing up and placing a hand on the younger girl's arm. "Rach, honey, it's better, but you're still lacking the emotional depth a ballad possesses." The shorter girl frowned, causing the British girl to wrap an arm around her. "Why are you even trying to write a ballad? I thought we were all going to write an anthem for Regionals."

"Finn doesn't think I'm able to write a successful ballad, so I wanted to prove him wrong. And who knows, maybe it'll be a song on my first album!" Rachel told her with an exuberant grin.

"Whoa there, super star," the wavy-haired brunette laughed. "Let's just get through Regionals first, ok?" Rachel beamed at the nickname and threw her arms around the older girl.

"Easy there, Berry. She's my girl, remember?" A menacing voice called out from the doorway causing the diva to panic and push Hermione back.

"Sorry, Santana! I'll be going now! Bye, Hermione!" Rachel yelled out over her shoulder as she hurried out of the room, closing the door behind her.

"San, do you have to be so mean?" The British girl sighed at her girlfriend, who pulled her into a loving embrace.

"You know I just like messing with people, especially Berry," the Latina smirked as she kissed the other girl gently. "I missed you."

"It's only been a few hours, love."

"So? Am I not allowed to miss my beautiful girlfriend during the times when I can't gets my mack on?"

"Smooth," Hermione deadpanned as she pulled out her ringing phone. "Hello? Oh, hey, Blaine, what's up? Oh, really? Well, that's certainly an interesting development. Hold on a second, B." She pulled the phone away from her ear. "Santana Lopez, stop that right now!" She ordered quietly to the girl who was placing kisses all over her neck.

"But why? I'm enjoying myself," teased the raven-haired girl, earning a glare from her lover. Santana pouted and removed her lips from Hermione's neck and opted for wrapping her arms around the other girl from behind.

"Ok, Blaine, go ahead, my girlfriend is behaving herself now," spoke the British girl with a bemused grin. "He sang The Beatles? Well, my friend, you were doomed from the start. I mean, that boy moved Santana to tears when he sang _I Want To Hold Your Hand_."

"He did not!"

"She's lying. Anyway, you should tell him how you feel. I know for a fact that your feelings will be returned. Good luck! I'll talk to you soon!" Hermione finished her conversation with the Warbler and turned around to fill the less enthusiastic former cheerleader in on the details.

The next day, Santana walked into the choir room with Brittany, listening to the blonde inform her about the latest Lord Tubbington shenanigans before her gaze landed on her girlfriend.

"Alright, Sanny, I'm going to stop talking since you're busy making googly-eyes with Hermy now," the dancer told her with a giggle before going to sit on Artie's lap. The shorter girl blushed, but quickly hurried over to Hermione who was laughing at Sam's Sean Connery impression. She sat down next to her and grabbed her hand, causing the wavy-haired to look over at her with a dazzling smile.

"Hey, you," the British girl said cheerfully, quickly kissing her cheek. Santana hummed happily and rested her head on the other girl's shoulder.

"Ok, guys, we've really got to come up with our set-list for Regionals," the curly-haired man informed them as he finally walked in. Hermione raised her hand. "Mia?"

"Well, as we agreed upon a few weeks ago, our anthem will be an original song thanks to Rachel's brilliant idea. For the original song, we need to do something that is relatable, celebrates who we are, and showcases all of our talents. Then we'll just need a wicked opening number and we need to decide who will sing it," the British girl pointed out in her former prefect tone.

"Ok, that sounds like a good plan. Who should get the solos?" Mercedes questioned warily.

"I say Hermione," Santana answered lovingly as others murmured their approval.

"Of course you do," muttered the former head Cheerio with a huff.

"Got a prob—"

"San, be nice. And thanks, you guys, but I had a solo at Sectionals, it'd be wrong of me to take one now. Besides, all of you are extremely talented, so one of you deserves it," Hermione stated with a smile as her classmates stared at her in shock. "What? Did I say something wrong…?" She questioned slowly, turning to look at the raven-haired girl.

"You are so perfect," the Latina spoke lovingly before kissing the puzzled girl's nose.

"I don't understand…"

"Well, we're all usually sitting here viciously fighting over solos especially at competitions and here you are saying that you don't want one simply because you had one at Sectionals, which was incredibly beautiful and moving, by the way," Rachel rambled out quickly.

"Oh, I, well, I—er, Will, please take over now," said a now blushing Hermione.

"Ok, how 'bout we do _Ain't No Mountain High Enough _with Artie and Mercedes on lead vocals?" The choir director suggested cautiously, scared his students were going to throw a tantrum.

"That sounds brilliant, Will," the British girl spoke up with a smile. "You guys will definitely kill it," she addressed them warmly as her peers agreed with her whole-heartedly.

"We still need an opening number. Hermione, would you please do us the honor?" Rachel inquired with a large smile.

"There's no way I'm getting out of this, is there?" The wavy-haired brunette groaned, throwing her hands up into the air.

"Nope, now figure out what you want to sing," Puck stated bluntly with a crooked grin.

A few hours later, Santana and Hermione were alone on the Latina's bed when the British girl's phone rang. As the older girl sat up, the former Cheerio groaned from in between her legs.

"Mi amor, can't you ignore that? I was kind of busy and last time I checked you were thoroughly enjoying it," the raven-haired girl said while licking her lips causing the other girl to shudder.

"I'm sorry, baby. And you're right, I was reveling in the mystic powers that your mouth possesses," Hermione panted out. "But it's Kurt calling me." She answered her phone. "Hey, darling. Um, no, you're not interrupting anything."

"Yes, you are!"

"Ignore her. What's up? Oh, really? It's about damn time! I'm so happy for you!" She squealed. "We'll totally have to go on a double date now. Wait, you can't sing that! It's a song about a break-up. Tell Blaine to go back on the drawing board for that one. Ok, sounds good, see you soon!"

"Well?" Santana muttered grumpily. "Those Wonder Twins have the worst possible timing known to man…"

"Blaine and Kurt are official now," the British teen informed happily before flipping them over with a wicked grin. "How 'bout I make it up to you now?" The Latina groaned in agreement, burying her hands in her lover's hair and fusing their lips together.

The next morning, Hermione was walking down the hallway to meet Santana and Brittany, when she noticed Sue talking to them. The two girls looked at their former cheerleading coach suspiciously before turning around and opening their lockers. Seconds later, Hermione let out a gasp as bucket loads of dirt fell all over her girlfriend and the blonde dancer.

"Oh my god, what the bloody hell is wrong with you?" The wavy-haired brunette yelled out to the retreating form of the tall woman as she rushed over to the two girls. "Are you both ok?"

"I don't even remember putting that in there," Brittany informed her with a pout as the older girl hugged her and began wiping the dirt off of her.

"I'm gonna kill her," the raven-haired girl growled out.

"Easy there, tiger," replied Hermione soothingly as she brushed the dirt off of her lover. "C'mon, let's get you cleaned up and then I'll walk you two to your homerooms," the brown-eyed girl linked her arms with the former cheerleaders and escorted them to the nearest restrooms. Once the two were all clean, the older girl kept her promise and walked them to their respective classrooms. "I'll see you later, San," she whispered quietly as she squeezed the still fuming girl's hand. "I love you."

"I love you more," grinned Santana before letting go of the other girl's hand and entering the classroom. Hermione turned around and walked down the hallway with a smile before she was met face-to-face with an angry Karofsky. "Um, hello, David."

"Oh, can it with the pleasantries, London. We have a score to settle," he snarled, walking closer to her.

"Hey, mate, I thought we were cool after the whole Thriller thing," the British girl pointed out meekly.

"Well, you thought wrong, bitch. What you did to me before that homo transferred and the way you saved that cripple did nothing but make me and the rest of my boys hate you even more." Hermione tried backing up away from him, but was stopped by Azimio and a few of the other football players moving up behind her. One of them put his hand over her mouth as the rest of them dragged her kicking and screaming form to the boys' locker room. They threw her down on the ground and repeatedly began kicking her until a noise rang out from the hallway.

"Shit, let's get outta here," Azimio muttered quickly as he and the rest of the football players hurried out of the back entrance. Karofsky punched her in the face before kicking her one last time, glaring down at her.

"Hopefully, now you'll remember your place, dyke," he spat before following his teammates out the door.

"Hey, is everything al—" Someone called out from the doorway. "Oh, fuck. Herms, are you ok?" The girl nodded stiffly before looking at him.

"Sammy, just get me out of here," she choked out. The blonde boy gently picked her up and carried her out of the locker room. "Can you just take me home?"

"Yeah, of course," Sam responded shakily. He carried her down the hallway when the bell rang. He cursed his luck and moved to turn around and go a different way when an all too familiar voice stopped him.

"Hey, Trouty Mouth, have you seen Herm—" Santana began before noticing who was in his arms. "What the fuck did you do to her?" She screamed as Puck and Brittany held her back from attacking the poor boy.

"I didn't do anything, I swear! I just found her like this in the locker room!" He informed her fearfully.

"He's telling the truth, San," Hermione informed her with a grimace, wincing at her split lip.

"Mi amor, who did this to you?" The shorter girl asked, running her fingers through the injured girl's hair. The British girl shook her head, refusing to answer.

"Just get me home." Sam walked towards the parking lot with the raven-haired singer following closely behind. The Latina led him to her car and watched as he carefully put Hermione into the backseat.

"Come on, Trouty Mouth, I might need your help getting her into her apartment," Santana murmured, her voice cracking. The blonde boy nodded his head and hopped into the passenger's seat. They arrived at Mr. Schue's building several minutes later and managed to get Hermione into her bedroom.

"Sam, can you go wait outside? I'll send San out in a minute," Hermione spoke up quietly. As soon as the football player closed the door, the British girl turned to her lover. "Can you get me that beaded bag over there?" Santana nodded and retrieved the bag before handing it over to the girl, wondering what she was going to do. To her surprise, the girl pulled a decorative stick out of the bag and pointed it at her torso. "Love, you've got to promise me that you won't tell anyone what you're about to see." The Latina nodded slowly, confusion evident on her face. "Episkey," the wavy-haired brunette whispered before wincing as her ribs moved back into place with a crack.

"Hermione, what the hell just happened?" Santana questioned slowly, scooting away from the British girl. The older girl didn't answer her right away and grabbed a vial from the bag. She swallowed all of its contents and breathed a sigh of relief. "Hermione, seriously, what the fuck did you just do?"

"I, um, healed my ribs and got rid of the pain," she informed her softly, taking a deep breath. "San, I'm—I'm a—I'm a witch."

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><p><strong>AN, part II: Ta da! I told you Hermione would tell Santana sooner or later. What did ya think? **


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: Hello, loyal readers! I would've had this up earlier, but it was a pretty rough week. Anyways, I hope y'all like this chapter! For the song, lines "like this" are sung by Hermione.**

**TobiasFangor92: Thanks again for the review!**

**I Love Santana: Haha, yep, I told you she was going to find out eventually! Thanks for the review :) **

**unexpected sabotage: Thank you for the review! I hope you like Santana's reaction!**

**DragonsWillFly: Haha, thank you! Hopefully her reaction doesn't fail to disappoint!**

**Ky: Sorry! I've gotta throw a cliffhanger in there every once in a while to keep things interesting, haha. Thanks again! :)**

**As always, I genuinely appreciate any feedback. But enough chit-chat, enjoy the latest chapter!**

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><p><strong>~Chapter 38~<strong>

"No, no, no, that's impossible!" Santana spluttered out, quickly moving off of the bed, putting as much space between her and the older girl as possible.

"San, it's true. You know I would never lie to you. Please just sit down and let me explain," Hermione spoke rapidly and smiled slightly when the Latina sat at the foot of the bed. "When I was eleven, I got a strange letter telling me that I was accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I didn't believe it at first, but someone from the school came and proved to me that magic was indeed real. I was so amazed by magic itself and Hogwarts too of course. Unfortunately, discovering that I could do magic had lots of dangerous results."

"Like what?" Santana finally spoke up with a curious expression.

"Well, long story short, the reason I could do magic despite my Muggle heritage—a Muggle is someone who possess no magical abilities—is one of the reasons why I was tortured the way that I was. In the wizarding world, Purebloods—people that have magical ancestors—believe they are so much better than witches and wizards like myself and simple Muggles. The Purebloods were the ones behind all of those terrorist attacks in London. When Harry was just a baby, he destroyed their master. Thirteen years later, however, Lord Voldemort returned and set out to cleanse the magical world and kill Harry. Being one of Harry's closest allies and his best friend led me to being targeted by Voldemort and his followers. When I was captured, Harry, Ronald, and I were trying to find these things that would help destroy Voldemort once and for all." Hermione paused to let the other girl absorb all of the information she was telling her.

"H-h-how did they torture you then? Did they use magic or other ways?" The Latina questioned softly, moving closer to the British girl.

"Both," the young witch choked out. "They used curses that made deep gashes or burns appear all over my body. They used cursed knives to cut into my skin. That's how I got this scar." Hermione waved her wand over left arm and the raven-haired girl gasped at the word that appeared there. "They also loved to use the torture curse which feels like 'one thousand white-hot knives, boring into the skin'. If used long enough, it can cause someone to lose their mind completely. They also, um, raped me," the older girl said so quietly that Santana almost didn't hear her.

"Oh, princesa," the dark-eyed girl cried out softly before wrapping her arms around her girlfriend. "I am so sorry you had to go through all of that."

"Not all magic is bad though. I don't want you to think that." Hermione waved her wand again at a tissue and Santana's jaw dropped as the object transformed into a small bird that flapped its wings and flew around them. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I just didn't want to lose you," the British girl murmured shyly.

"I understand, mi amor. And I'm sorry for freaking out earlier, it's just a lot to take in," the former Cheerio chuckled. "You know I would never leave you. I mean, being a witch is just another thing that makes you the bestest girlfriend in the whole wide world."

"I love you so much," Hermione told her with a watery smile before kissing her passionately.

"I love you too," the Latina answered happily. "Can you, um, tell me more about your world then?" The young witch beamed before quickly nodding her head and going into a long-winded explanation about the different means of transportation in the wizarding world. Santana grinned at her enthusiasm, so she kissed her on the cheek and settled down to listen.

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><p>The next afternoon in glee, the students were arguing about which of their songs to use as their anthem until Mr. Schue decided to intervene.<p>

"Guys, guys, just—just think about it. What's your favorite song of all time?"

"_My Headband_," Brittany stated seriously.

"Alanis Moriessete's _You Oughta Know_," Santana answered with a nod of her head.

"_What's Going On?_ Marvin Gaye," Puck replied with a smirk.

"Ok, and what are all those songs about?" Will asked them.

"Headbands." The hazel-eyed man threw the dancer a puzzled look before continuing.

"All these songs come from a place of pain. The greatest songs are about hurt and that's the side of yourselves that I want you to get in touch with."

"That should be easy. Coach Sylvester tortures us for no reason and tries to get the entire school to hate us," Artie said with a sigh.

"Yesterday, she filled Brit's and my locker with dirt," the Latina growled out.

"Ok, ok, slow down, slow down," the curly-haired man muttered as he began writing things down on the board.

"Well, she literally throws sticks at me," Mercedes pointed out with a roll of her eyes, earning several looks of shock.

"Ok, what else? What else?"

"She called the Ohio Secretary of State saying she was me and that I want to legally change my name to Tina Cohen-Loser," responded Tina exasperatedly.

"Um, she's never done anything to me. Should I be worried?" Hermione spoke up fearfully.

"I don't know. She might just like you," Mike told her with an overly dramatic grimace, causing the British girl to snicker.

"Anyway, back on track, how does that make you feel?" Their teacher inquired.

"Well, at first it hurts, but then it mostly makes you want to win," Finn answered slowly, determination shining in his eyes.

"Guys, I think you may have just found your song," Mr. Schue said with a smile as he wrote _Loser Like Me_ on the whiteboard.

* * *

><p>"After everything you've been through, you still get nervous before a performance?" A familiar voice called out causing Hermione to spin around quickly with a large smile on her face.<p>

"Harry! You made it!" She squealed happily as she threw her arms around the bespectacled boy.

"I promised you I would," The-Boy-Who-Lived told her with a playful roll of his eyes.

"Oi. Why does he get all of the love?"

"Sorry, Gin," the former prefect chuckled before embracing the auburn-haired girl.

"We also brought a few more people, Mione," Harry informed her with a smile beckoning the group of people to join them. When Hermione saw them, she couldn't help but jump up and down giddily.

"Luna, Fred, George, Neville, and…Cho, oh, hello," Hermione faltered before hugging each of them and settling for just wrapping an arm around the Asian girl.

"Ay dios mio. Princesa, I can't believe they let Sue coach a show choir," Santana grumbled out before hugging Hermione from behind. "Oh, Harry, Ginny, nice to see you again," she greeted them pleasantly.

"Well, I certainly see things between you two have changed," teased the youngest Weasley good-naturedly. "I'm really happy for you though. It's about time someone got our Mione to settle down and clearly you are pretty special to have accomplished such a feat."

"Oh hush," retorted the wavy-haired brunette as Santana buried her face into Hermione's neck. "By the way, love, this is Luna, Fred, George, Neville, and Cho."

"Cho—Cho—Cho…why does that name sound familiar?" The Latina whispered before her eyes went wide. "Wait, isn't she the one who had feelings for you and became really clingy after you ended things with her?" After her girlfriend nodded, the raven-haired girl tightened her hold on the taller girl before glaring at the bashful looking Asian.

"Easy there, San, you know I only have eyes for you," laughed the brown-eyed girl before spinning around and kissing her chastely on the lips. "I'll see you all after the show!" She called out over her shoulder as she dragged a triumphant looking Santana over to the rest of their team.

"Why are you so nervous, mi amor?" Santana inquired quietly as she wrapped her arms around the trembling girl. "You know you'll do great."

"I'm scared that I'll mess something up and we'll lose and then everybody will hate me," she mumbled embarrassedly.

"Mia, you know if anyone tries to lay a finger on you, I'll ends them. Besides, you're totally gonna kick ass like you did at Sectionals." She paused and after making sure the coast was clear, kissed the taller girl. "I love you. Now go on and make me fall in love with you all over again," she murmured before playfully shoving her forward.

"And now, from William McKinley High in Lima, Ohio, the New Directions!" The announcer called out as the curtain rose and Hermione walked to the middle of the stage and sat down at the piano. She took a deep breath before beginning.

"**It was a stupid mistake,****  
><strong>**I've played it over again.****  
><strong>**I felt it starting to break,****  
><strong>**But oh what a storm we were in.**

"**Leveled us both with a crash,****  
><strong>**You sped away in the dark.****  
><strong>**And I've only driven me mad****  
><strong>**Replaying how we came apart –But…**

"**I'm gonna be happy****  
><strong>**Without you around.****  
><strong>**I'll figure it out****.****  
><strong>**And I'm gonna be happy,****  
><strong>**Just give me some time,****  
><strong>**I'm gonna be fine.**

"**I fell to pieces for you,****  
><strong>**And everything we couldn't weather,****  
><strong>**And how there was nothing we could do this time****  
><strong>**That would make it all better.**

"**And I've heard a lot of good lies,****  
><strong>**But there's one I could never quite shake:****  
><strong>**that sorrow's some kind of good sign****  
><strong>**I should carry with me to the grave.**

"**So I'm gonna be happy****  
><strong>**Without you around.****  
><strong>**I'll figure it out.****  
><strong>**And I'm gonna be happy,****  
><strong>**Just give me some time,****  
><strong>**I'm gonna be fine.**

"**This is everything I hoped I'd find a way to say to you:****  
><strong>**Darling, it's a shame I couldn't be a better place for you,****  
><strong>**But I can't love by self-destruct.****  
><strong>**I've gotta give it up.**

"**So I'm gonna be happy****  
><strong>**Without you around.****  
><strong>**I'll figure it out.****  
><strong>**And I'm gonna be happy****  
><strong>**Just give me some time,****  
><strong>**I'm gonna be fine.**

"**I'm gonna be happy****  
><strong>**Without you around.****  
><strong>**I'll figure it out.****  
><strong>**And I'm gonna be happy,****  
><strong>**Just give me some time,****  
><strong>**I'm gonna be fine."**

As she belted out the last note, the audience erupted into thunderous applause. Hermione smiled bashfully and stood up to join her fellow glee club members as Artie and Mercedes moved to the front to liven up the crowd with their version of _Ain't No Mountain High Enough _with the rest of the group joining in on the chorus. Once again, the group was met with roaring enthusiasm as the crowd eagerly awaited the final number. As soon as Rachel started singing _Loser Like Me_, Hermione knew they had it in the bag as excited whispers about the original song traveled through the audience. After they sang the last note together and threw their 'slushies' into the audience, the entire group could not wipe the large smiles off of their faces as they received a standing ovation. When the curtain closed, Hermione felt familiar arms pick her up and swing her around.

"You were awesome, mi amor. I am so proud of you," Santana gushed as she peppered kisses all over her lover's face.

"No, I wasn't," blushed the British girl. "Have I ever mentioned how much I love watching you perform?"

"You may have mentioned it before," the Latina responded shyly, turning a light shade of pink.

"C'mon, guys, they're about to announce the winners!" Brittany yelled out happily as she dragged the two back over to the rest of the New Directions. As they stood next to the Warblers, Hermione couldn't help but beam at the group before wishing them luck.

"And now, to announce our winner, Lieutenant Governor Stevens' wife, Carla Turlington Stevens," the announcer spoke as the tipsy woman stumbled onto the stage.

"My husband is verbally abusive and I have been drinking since noon," the woman slurred.

"Where do they find these people?" Hermione whispered to the Latina, whose hand was firmly grasping hers. The raven-haired girl snickered and responded with a shrug as the woman started speaking again.

"I'm bored. Let's just see who won, huh? The New Directions, you're going to Nationals in New York!" The William McKinley group screamed happily before jumping up and down and hugging each other before they were handed the first place trophy. They were so caught up in their celebration that they barely noticed Sue walking over to Mrs. Stevens and punching her in the face. After getting over her shock, Hermione walked over to the Warblers and hugged each member after telling them how great they did.

Several minutes later, the wavy-haired brunette found herself being lovingly embraced by Harry.

"Mione! That was so amazing!" He praised before turning serious. "That song was kind of about Ron, wasn't it?" The green-eyed boy inquired softly to which the wavy-haired brunette nodded. "He's never going to hurt you again, you know. None of us will let that happen."

"I know. I just miss him. He was one of my closest friends and then when he…forced himself on me after I came out to him, I didn't even recognize him anymore," the former prefect whimpered.

"He what?" Santana growled. "I swear if that soulless ginger every gets close to you again, I's will ends him before he can even say 'hey'. I'll show him how it's done in Lima Heights!"

"And, clearly, Santana will also do a wonderful job of protecting you," Ginny butted in as she and the rest of the wizards backed up in fear.

"Oh, she's harmless, aren't you, love?" Hermione addressed her girlfriend who was now muttering dangerously in Spanish. "Well, to me, she is." Her statement caused the group to chuckle as the Latina pouted. "C'mon, let's go to dinner, so I can catch up with you lot! We're going to this place called BreadstiX. Coming, San?"

"Hells yeah. Let's go, woman!" The raven-haired girl called out enthusiastically as she dragged Hermione to her car while the group of wizards and witches followed closely behind, amused by the couple's antics.

"She seems really happy," a soft voice spoke up.

"She is, Cho, she really is," Harry muttered with a smile as he squeezed the Asian girl's shoulder gently before joining the two giggling glee club members.

"I never could've made her that happy," the Ravenclaw mused out loud with a frown.

"It's time to let her go, Cho. Clearly, that Santana girl is doing wonders for our girl. You should want her to be happy…" Fred began.

"…even if it's not with you." George finished.

"I know. Now that I see how great she's doing, it should be easier for me to let her go. I think I'm going to head home though," she informed the twins with a small smile before bidding Hermione farewell and walking over to an alley to apparate back to Hogsmeade.

A few days later in glee, Will stood in front of the classroom to address his students and congratulate them once again on their victory.

"Now, we all know that winning Regionals was a team effort and Nationals isn't going to be any different, but, like in sports, every winning team has a player that rises above to help carry their teammates to victory. The MVP. And I would like to start a tradition of honoring that player after every one of our competitions. So, per a unanimous vote by all of you, our Regionals MVP is…Miss Hermione Granger." Hermione stood up in shock before walking into her uncle's open arms and receiving the trophy.

"I really don't know what to say," she began as a tear trickled down her face. "I've only been here for a couple of months, but all of you have made me feel like I've known you for years. You know a lot about my past and I was beginning to lose hope that I would never allow myself to open myself up to people, especially after I lost my parents. But coming here changed all of that—you changed all of that. Each and every one of you welcomed me with open arms and gave me the one thing I was so desperately longing for—another chance at having a family. This trophy belongs to all of you for you were the ones who believed in me when I lost all hope. I guess, all I'm trying to say is thank you," the British girl finished with a watery smile as Santana rushed up to her and embraced her encouraging the rest of the New Directions to join the two girls for a group hug.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Song was "Happy" by Ellery, a lovely little duo from my home town. Y'all should check them out if you get the chance!**

**As for Santana's reaction...I couldn't have her just run away, she loves Hermione too much to do so. **

**I have up to chapter 45 written and there should be 48 chapters once it's finished, so I really need to get my ass in gear and finish up this story, so I can start working on the sequel. I'm hoping to have the next update posted by next weekend, so fingers crossed that something crazy won't pop up. **


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N: Hey, guys, sorry that this is several days late. This week has been absolutely dreadful. Anyway, in the last chapter, I said that there would be 48 chapters, but there are actually going to be 50. (Math is hard.) As always, I am so grateful for any feedback!**

**I Love Santana: Thanks for the review! **

**Mummification: Great to hear from you! I'm really happy to hear that you're still enjoying the story!**

**unexpected sabotage: Yes, there will be a confrontation with the Weasel in the future (probably the sequel). I do love me some drama after all! And thanks again for the review :)**

**TobiasFangor92: Thank you! And, yes, I wish there was a way to incorporate Marley. She's definitely my favorite new character. Who knows, maybe I will ;)**

**DragonsWillFly: You're too sweet! I hope you continue to enjoy the story!**

**Ky: Aww, thank you! And it's my pleasure! I'm really looking forward to beginning the sequel in the next couple of weeks. Also, I'm glad you liked Ellery :)**

**maricafa: Thank you so much! That means the world to me! I'll definitely try to incorporate more magic into future updates now that Santana knows. **

**Alexis Nicole: Thanks! I hope you enjoy this next chapter :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 39~<strong>

The New Directions sat in the choir room as their teacher wrote an equation on the whiteboard. As soon as he stepped away from the board, Hermione walked up to him.

"Uh, Will, you do know that your math is wrong, right?" The British girl informed him with a smirk as she erased it and wrote _14,000 x .25 = 3,500_.

"Oh, oops. Well, now you all know why I'm not a math teacher," the curly-haired man chuckled as he walked over to the piano. The young witch rolled her eyes playfully before going to sit back down next to Santana.

"Aw, my princesa is so smart," the raven-haired girl cooed as she kissed her girlfriend's cheek.

"Anyway…after Mia's contribution from the kissing booth, we still need $3,500 to pay for our trip to Nationals in New York," Mr. Schue told them with a flourish of his arms.

"What happened to the money that we got from the Cheerios?" Quinn asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It turns out Sue was hiding it in off-shore accounts in the Cayman Islands and we're having some trouble accessing some of it." He paused before continuing with a sigh. "Any of it." The hazel-eyed man turned around and picked up a piece of candy from on top of the piano. "This is saltwater taffy. When I was a student here, we paid for our entire trip to Nationals selling this. Classroom-to-classroom, door-to-door. We pushed this stuff like crack. And so will we."

"Nice, Will, nice."

"Oh, hush. As Mia pointed out, we need to sell 14,000 pieces of taffy for $.25 a piece to get all of our money."

"Wait, do you honestly think that we can sell 14,000 anythings? I mean, we won Regionals for the first time since dinosaurs roamed the planet and I still got a freakin' cherry Icee facial," the Latina growled out.

"Well, you could have gotten it from being seen talking to me," Hermione muttered with a small frown.

"It wasn't your fault, Hermione. Santana's right though. Nobody cares about us."

"I can't listen to this," Mike grumbled angrily before standing up and walking towards the door.

"Mike, you ok?" The choir director asked him, concern evident in his tone.

"No. You guys complain all the time about being mistreated but you have no idea what it's like to work your butt off for something and have everyone, even your friends, ignore you." He paused as he stared down the group. "Artie, Tina, Brittany, and I are on the Brainiacs."

"And Hermione's our coach because she's pretty much a genius on every subject," Brittany informed them, causing the British girl to turn a light hue of pink as she stood up to join the four teens.

"Isn't that the academic decathlon team?"

"Wait, we have one of those?"

"Yeah, we do, Frankenteen and they're awesome."

"Wait, you know about it?"

"Uh, duh, Puckerman. My girl's the coach and Brit's on the team. Of course I know about it. I even went to their competitions," she murmured bashfully.

"Artie, Tina, Mike, and Brittany went on The SmartyPants Show and beat Carmel High to go to the academic decathlon finals in Detroit next week."

"Wait, you guys were on TV? Well, why didn't you tell us about it?"

"We did," the five teens said at the same time, rapidly growing frustrated with their peers.

"Wait, I get the three of you being on the team…" Will began uncertainly.

"Because two of them are Asian and Artie wears glasses?"

"No... But Brittany?"

"Oh, that's really nice, William," the wavy-haired brunette scoffed. "As a matter of fact, Brittany is one of our strongest assets. Her knowledge about cat diseases tied us with Carmel and then Artie put us in the lead with his knowledge about white rappers," Hermione beamed proudly.

"Sadly, we can't afford to go to the finals, so we're going to have to forfeit," Artie informed them despondently.

"Why don't you just have your parents pay for it?"

"Because they shouldn't have to, Rach," sighed the British girl, running a hand through her hair. "Leave it up to me though, guys. I won't let you down. C'mon, San!"

"Coming, mi amor," Santana called out fondly as she dutifully followed the taller girl out of the choir room.

"Whoa, who knew Santana would get so whipped?"

"I heard that, Wheezy!" The Latina shouted from the hallway, earning quite a few snickers from the group.

Several hours later, Hermione and Santana were lying on the former's bed in each other's arms when the wavy-haired brunette shot up.

"You ok, princesa?" The former cheerleader asked her worriedly.

"Yeah, I just got a brilliant idea to raise the money for Nationals," the older girl replied with a wicked smile.

"Well, are you going to tell me or just sit there grinning like a creeper?"

"Oi, I'm totally feeling the love."

"Well, Mia, I believe I showed you just how much I loved you not too long ago," the Latina murmured huskily as she trailed her fingers up one of the other girl's legs.

"Um, well, I—I—well, you're right of course," Hermione blushed. "Anyway! My idea was a sort of benefit concert. We'd charge admission and perform and well, it's rather stupid, isn't it?"

"Are you kidding? That's perfect! A hell of a lot better than selling that damn taffy," stated Santana matter-of-factly. "How are we going to get enough people to show up though? I'm sure Sue is bound to stop people from coming."

"Good point. Well, we can invite the Warblers. They do love me over there," the brown-eyed witch smirked. "Ooh, and I can invite some people from back home! Want to see a bit more magic, love?" The raven-haired singer nodded enthusiastically as Hermione retrieved a small jar filled with powder. "Follow me, darling!" The couple went out into the living room as the British girl grabbed some of the powder and threw it into the fireplace before shouting, "Grimmauld Place!" Suddenly, she stuck her head into green flames as Santana yelped and frantically tried to pull her out. "Harry James Potter get your scrawny ass over here!"

"Huh? Oh, hey 'Mione. What can I do for you?" The green-eyed boy questioned happily.

"Well, the New Directions and I need to raise some money for Nationals and I'm going to convince Will that we should put on a concert instead of selling some weird candy he seems to be obsessed with. I was wondering if you'd like to come."

"Sure, that sounds brilliant!"

"Excellent. Can you also mention it to Ginny, Luna, Neville, Seamus, Dean, Tonks, Lupin, McGonagall, the rest of the Weasleys sans Ronald, Hannah, the Patils, Ernie, Justin, Angelina, Katie, and anyone else you can think of?"

"Whoa, slow down Hermione, my quill can only write so fast," laughed the messy-haired boy.

"I'll let you know when I have a final date. Oh! Remember to convert some of your wizarding money to American money. You all can just floo here and then we'll figure out a way to get to the show from there."

"Ok, Mione, I really can't wait to see you again. I'll talk to you soon!"

"Bye, Harry!" Hermione called out before pulling her head out of the flames.

"Oh my god, are you ok? Why the hell couldn't you just use the phone?" Santana inquired as she looked over her girlfriend for any sign of injury.

"Relax, San, it's perfectly safe. I guess it's similar to video chatting except more fun," laughed the witch, placing the jar on the mantle.

"Oh, yes, so much fun," the other girl grumbled as she continued to poke and prod Hermione, confirming that she was indeed alright. "You said they can floo over? They actually choose to travel through the fireplace?"

"Yes, it's a fairly easy way to travel, you just have to—"

"Say your destination clearly, right?"

"Precisely! You have been listening," smiled the taller girl.

"Yeah, well, I want to know as much as I can, so you don't feel like you have to hide this side of you around me," the former Cheerio murmured shyly.

"Best. Girlfriend. Ever." The wavy-haired brunette responded, kissing the Latina between each word.

The next afternoon in glee, Hermione informed her uncle about her idea which caused the curly-haired man to throw his arms around her and swing her around.

"Uh, Mr. Schue, what's going on?" Rachel asked from her seat in the front row.

"Mia has a fantastic idea to throw a benefit concert to raise the money for Nationals and the Brainiacs!" The choir director praised as he set his niece down. "You guys will perform and we'll charge admission. What do you think?"

"It's a great idea, but how are we going to get people to come? Everyone hates us," Mercedes pointed out.

"Actually that's not true. We've really grown in popularity since the beginning of the year. I mean, yeah, there's still a group of idiots who douse us in slushy, but most of the school is starting to respect us…to some degree."

"Thank you, Q. We'll probably get a group of sixty or seventy students or teachers and I plan on inviting the Warblers. Some of my friends from London were planning on taking a trip to America and they promised they'd come as well. Plus, you all can invite your families. That should get us around 185 people and if we charge $25 we'll get enough money for both teams. I will also take care of putting up flyers and organizing the event while you guys figure out what you want to sing or dance to," Hermione informed them enthusiastically, bouncing up and down.

"Jeez, Herms, take a breath!" Sam exclaimed jokingly, shaking his head at the girl.

"I'll help Hermione with the planning," Quinn spoke up with an eager smile earning a glare from the Latina.

"Excellent! Meet me in the auditorium tomorrow morning?" The hazel-eyed girl nodded while smirking at Santana. Soon the group was dismissed and Hermione left with Mercedes and Rachel, talking about various ideas. The former head cheerleader was about to exit the room, when a tanned hand grabbed her wrist.

"What exactly do you think you're doing, Fabray?" Santana snarled, spinning the other girl around to face her.

"I have no idea what you mean, Santana," the blonde answered innocently.

"You're up to something. If you even think about hurting Hermione again, I will fucking kick your ass."

"Who said I wanted to hurt her?" Quinn told her with her infamous eyebrow raise. "Besides, I figure it's only a matter of time before people start figuring out there's something going on between you and Hermione. I know you, remember? You're going to panic and run away like you always do. And I'll be there to pick up the pieces."

"Who the fuck do you think you are? You did the exact same thing not too long ago!"

"Yeah, well, things change. I've done a lot of thinking since the wedding and I realized something: I'm living with the Jones' and they are a hell of a lot more accepting than my parents ever were. I don't need to hide anymore and I don't plan to." The hazel-eyed girl ripped her arm away before walking out of the choir room, leaving behind a furious and worried Santana.

The next morning, Hermione was sitting on the stage, working on some rough drafts for the flyers when the blonde girl walked in.

"Oh, hey, Quinn, thanks for doing this," the British girl greeted her with a smile.

"Hello, Hermione," Quinn replied with a smile of her own. "Wow, those sketches are great. Is there _anything_ you can't do?"

"I spent way too much time in a tent last year with two boys," chuckled the brown-eyed girl. "I had to have something to focus on, so I didn't kill them. Speaking of boys, how are things with Sam?"

"He's a great friend, but that's all he's ever going to be," she answered with a shrug, flipping through the sketches. "He's really interested in Mercedes, so I told him to go for it. I think they'd be better for each other than he and I would ever be."

"That's very mature of you. I'm proud of you, Q."

"Thanks," Quinn responded with a shy smile before handing the older girl three of the drawings. "I think we should clean these up a bit and use these."

"Ok, brilliant!" The two continued to work in a comfortable silence until Quinn scooted closer to Hermione.

"Listen Hermione, I made a mistake with you a couple months ago. I—"

"Buenos días, gorgeous. Tubbers," a familiar voice called out from in front of the stage causing Hermione to light up.

"San! What are you doing here?" The wavy-haired brunette beamed as she turned around to face her girlfriend.

"I wanted to surprise you," grinned the Latina as she helped the older girl off of the stage. "I brought you some coffee too."

"You're the best," murmured Hermione as she kissed her lightly.

"I know, but I'm nothing compared to you, baby girl," Santana stated while handing the young witch the coffee and throwing a smirk at the blonde glaring at the couple from the stage.

"I think we're done here," Hermione called up to the former head Cheerio. "San and I can take the final versions and make copies of them and then we'll get the rest of the club to hang them up."

"Alright, that sounds good," the hazel-eyed girl muttered as she hopped off the stage and handed the British girl the flyers.

"Thanks for all of your help, Q," the older girl smiled as she hugged the blonde before being pulled back by the Latina.

"Bye, Fabray," the raven-haired girl mocked as she linked her arms with Hermione's and led her out of the auditorium.

"San, was that really necessary?"

"What? That's just how we work."

"Yes, well, according to Brittany, you and Quinn used to be very close."

"Things change," stated the younger girl in a tone, signaling that this conversation was over.

A couple of hours later, Hermione was walking down the hallway with Tina, Mike, Mercedes, and Rachel.

"I'm totally doing Lykke Li. She's Bjork meets Florence + the Machine and a promising new talent. What about you, Mike?"

"Mike Chang Dance Dance Revolution. I'm tired of my dancing being overshadowed by all of you guys singing. It's gonna just be me and my sweet moves. Hermione, what are you thinking about doing?"

"Singing and dancing to something. I haven't really decided yet," the British girl laughed.

"Smooth," giggled Mercedes before continuing. "You are forgetting about the most neglected artist this glee club's ever seen…Aretha Franklin. See, I auditioned for this club singing _Respect_ and she's gotten none since, so I'm doing Aretha."

"Awesome, Mercedes. Awesome, all of you guys. Those songs are great appetizers to my main course. Celine Dion's _My Heart Will Go On_. It's gonna be our finale." Mike made a noise similar to that of breaks screeching.

"That's like the biggest song of all time," Tina pointed out, raising one of her eyebrows.

"No, you don't understand. Celine isn't the neglected artist, I am," Rachel stated arrogantly, placing her hand over her heart.

"I was kinda hoping to do the closing number," Mercedes murmured dejectedly as Rachel waltzed away.

"Hey, don't worry about it, ok? Don't forget that I have the final say in the set list," Hermione told her with a comforting smile.

"Thank god for that," Mike chuckled, slinging an arm around the wavy-haired brunette's shoulders.

"Boy Chang, you best be getting your hands off my girl," Santana murmured playfully in the boy's ear as she walked up behind the group.

"Sorry, Santana, but I'm not budging. She's the perfect height to be my arm rest," the dancer laughed, ruffling the older girl's hair.

"Oi, is that all I am to you? I thought we had something special," the British girl huffed, ducking under his arm and moving to link arms with Tina. "Well, I did always like your girlfriend better than you," she teased, causing the group to laugh.

"Yeah, Mike, you might want to watch out. Hermione is rather charming," the Asian girl informed him with a wink, resting her head on the taller girl's shoulder.

"I won't go down without a fight!" The brown-eyed boy called out, puffing out his chest and flexing his muscles.

"As fun as this is," the Latina interjected with a roll of her eyes, "Hermione and I gots to go."

"Oh, calm down, love," giggled the wavy-haired brunette finally grabbing her girlfriend's hand. "Alright, guys, I'll see you tomorrow. We wouldn't want this one getting too impatient now, would we?"

"No, girl, definitely not," Mercedes responded, chuckling when the former cheerleader glared at her.

"Come on, San, let's go rehearse!" She called out happily, pulling the younger girl down the hallway and into the auditorium.

"Finally," Santana sighed, urgently pressing her lips onto the older girl's.

"Blimey, San," Hermione panted after a few moments. "I forget why we even came here in the first place."

"Well, you said something about rehearsing, but I figure there are much more important things we could practice," the raven-haired girl muttered huskily, gently nibbling on the other girl's neck. "Plus, we could then cross this place off of my list," she smirked, slipping her hands underneath the British girl's shirt.

"Now how on earth could I say no to that?" The older girl spoke up playfully before pulling out her wand.

"What're you doing?"

"Well, we don't want to be disturbed, do we?" The young witch replied with a wicked smile before waving her wand. As soon as she put the item away, the dark-eyed girl pinned her against the nearest wall.

"Mmm, I will never get tired of that," the Latina murmured happily several moments later.

"You're insatiable," Hermione pointed out as she picked up her clothes.

"Oh, please, we both know it's one of the many things you love about me," Santana answered with a wink catching the shirt that was thrown at her face.

"While that may be true, we do have some work to do. I've been working on a number and I want your honest opinion, alright?"

"Si, mi amor. Now get your fine ass up there and show me what you got," the Latina told her, gently pushing her towards the stage.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Just so you know... There might be a wee bit of drama in the next couple of chapters, so hopefully y'all don't hate me for that!**


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N: Hello, my loves! I am soooooo sorry that I took this long to update. I wasn't really in the right mindset to write, but I'm hopefully back for now. I hope this fairly long chapter makes up for my absence!**

**Keira-House M.D: Thank you! I'm glad you like it thus far! **

**evfangirl98: Thanks! :)**

**Ky: I'm so glad! I hope you continue to enjoy it!**

**Autumn DeMayne: Sorry for taking so long! I hope you like this latest chapter!**

**DragonsWillFly: Quinn can try to steal Hermione away as much as she wants, but we all know that Santana would never allow that ;) Plus, Hermione is far too in love with Santana to notice anyone else. Thanks as always for the review! :) **

**unexpected sabotage: Thank you so much! And as of now, Sunshine will not be making an appearance, but who knows, I could always change my mind! **

**TobiasFangor92: Gotta love some drama! And that is a great idea! I think I finally figured out how I'm going to incorporate her as well as some other season 4 characters so be on the look out for that in the sequel! But thank you anyway for the idea :)**

**Enjoy! **

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 40~<strong>

The day of the benefit concert, Hermione was nervously pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace waiting for her friends to arrive.

"Princesa, calm down, they'll be here soon," Santana called out with a laugh, grabbing her girlfriend's hand and pulling her over to the couch.

"Sorry, love, you know how I get," sighed the wavy-haired brunette as she sat down on the other girl's lap. The Latina smiled at her and kissed her cheek, wrapping her arms around her. The two sat in a comfortable silence until green flames appeared and Harry Potter himself climbed out of the fireplace.

"Harry!" The former prefect squealed, throwing herself at the boy. He grinned happily before embracing her and spinning her around.

"You best watch yourself, Potter," Santana growled playfully, standing up to greet the messy-haired boy.

"It's great to see you too, Santana," Harry chuckled, wrapping an arm around the younger girl. "Oh, Mione, everyone else should be here soon. I wanted a few moments with you before you got bombarded."

A few minutes had passed and the apartment was filled with a group of about fifty people. After many hugs and kind words had been passed around, Hermione stood in front of her friends. "Thank you guys so much for doing this. And thank you for remembering to dress like Muggles and bringing American Muggle money. I did charm San's car to make it larger on the inside and appear normal on the outside, but we'll still have to make two trips. When we get there, we'll just pull around back and we can all pile out of it without too much suspicion," Hermione chuckled as she started ushering half of the group of wizards and witches out the door.

"Santana, thanks for driving," Ginny told her with a grateful smile as she settled into the passenger seat.

"Oh, it's no problem. Mia still doesn't really like to drive since the accident," she replied with a slight frown.

"Has she been sleeping ok?" The red-haired girl questioned with a tilt of her head.

"She has good nights and bad nights. I just wish there was more I could do."

"You've done so much for her already. Everyone can see that." Santana tried to believe the words the other girl had spoken, but the feeling that she was going to somehow let Hermione down would not disappear.

Eventually the entire group had arrived at the school and the young Gryffindor led them to the auditorium to purchase their tickets. The wavy-haired brunette couldn't help but gaze at the group fondly. She was catching up with Minerva when her phone buzzed. She read the text, smiled, and excused herself before rushing down the hallway to find Kurt giving Blaine a tour of the school.

"And there's an eager British woman charging right at us!" Kurt yelped as Hermione threw her arms around him.

"I've missed you guys so much," the brown-eyed girl murmured as she hugged Blaine.

"We've missed you too. And from what I can tell, Kurt misses this place and the New Directions," Blaine spoke with a warm smile directed at his boyfriend. Before he could respond, however, a menacing voice rang out from behind them.

"What the hell are you two doing here?"

"They're here for the benefit concert. Got a problem with that?" Hermione challenged, stepping in front of the couple. "What are _you_ even doing here?"

"I was pumping iron in the gym when one of the guys told me that these two were here spreading their fairy dust all over the place," Karofsky snarled, glaring at the two Warblers.

"Would you just give it up? You can live whatever lie you want but don't pretend the four of us don't know what's really going on here."

"Exactly. You've hurt so many people because you're just a scared little boy. Now if you'll excuse us, we're going to go spend some time with people who are actually brave enough to be themselves."

"You don't know squat about me, carpet-muncher." Karofsky spat seconds before Hermione shoved him backwards. As soon as the football player regained his footing, he grabbed the British girl by the front of her clothes and lifted her up before someone pried them apart.

"Whoa, guys, cut it out!" Santana screamed as she pulled Hermione safely away from the angry boy.

"You're real brave with your fists, but you're a coward when it comes to the truth!"

"Truth about what?"

"It's none of your business, J-Lo."

"First of all, anything you do became my business when you decided to toss that slushy up in my grill not too long ago."

"I think I can take a couple of queers and a girl," the football player growled, reaching for Hermione again.

"Huh. Ok, here's what's going to go down. Two choices: you stay here and I crack one of your nuts, right or left that's your choice, or you walk away and live to be a douchebag another day. And also, you lay your hands on Hermione again and I will cut you with the razorblades I have all up in my hair."

"Why do you care so much, Lopez? Are you a lesbo too? Oh, I know, you're dating that freaky dyke, aren't you?" Fear shined in Santana's eyes, before she took a few steps away from the girl in question.

"What? No, of course not. That's fucking ridiculous. You're just an asshole. Now walk away before I ends you." As the Neanderthal stalked away, Hermione glanced at the raven-haired girl, hurt evident on her face.

"Um, thanks, Santana. Well, we'll leave you two alone to talk," Blaine murmured, placing a comforting hand on the British girl's shoulder before walking away with Kurt.

"Princesa, I'm sor—"

"You're ashamed of me," Hermione stated flatly, trying to keep her emotions in check.

"No, I'm not. You know I really care about you."

"You _care_ about me?" The wavy-haired brunette questioned disbelievingly, throwing her arms up in the air. "Are you really that afraid of people outside of glee club finding out about us?"

"Well, yes. But, Mia, I'm not like you. I'm terrified of the looks and people talking behind my back. What's wrong with keeping us a secret?" The Latina questioned with a sigh, running a hand through her hair.

"Because it's not fair to either of us. I've been there, Santana, and I was miserable. I do not want to go back in the closet. I refuse to go back there!" Hermione cried out angrily. "After everything I've been through, I've learned that life is far too short to deny what truly makes you happy! Don't you see how mental you're being about this whole thing?"

"Why are you being so goddamn stubborn? No wonder Quinn dumped your ass!" The brown-eyed witch looked like she had been slapped across the face. "I don't want to lose my family over something as stupid as my sexuality, but I guess you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

"I cannot believe you just said that to me," Hermione spoke as tears filled her eyes.

"It was your own damn fault. You pushed my buttons," grumbled the raven-haired girl. "Look, let's just forget about this fucking fight and go back to what we were. There's no harm in—"

"San, I'm sorry, but I can't forget about this. Not when you've let your true feelings about our relationship show."

"You cannot seriously be breaking up with me? No one breaks up with Santana fucking Lopez."

"I'm not breaking up with you, but I think we should go on a break until you feel more confident about who you are."

"Mia, please don't…"

"I love you, Santana Lopez, and I want the world to know that. Let me know when you feel the same way," Hermione murmured dejectedly before kissing the younger girl's cheek.

"Hey, Hermione, it's almost your turn to go up," Sam called out hesitantly, noticing the British girl's tears. "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, Sammy," the wavy-haired brunette replied while wiping her eyes. "Let's go. Bye, San." As soon as the two disappeared, Santana finally let her own tears fall.

"What was going on back there, Herms?" Sam asked, wrapping an arm around his distraught friend.

"I don't really want to talk about it right now. We both said things that were incredibly hurtful. How's the show going though?" Hermione inquired, trying to change the subject.

"Really well! We just have you and Mercedes left. I really can't wait to see Mercedes perform. She has such an amazing voice," the blonde boy sighed wistfully.

"You really like her, don't you?" She questioned with a grin as the football player nodded with a blush. "Guess it's my time to get on up there. I'll see you after the show, Sammy." The boy wished her luck as Hermione put on her headset underneath her hat and glanced at the packed auditorium before walking out onto the stage. She danced gracefully around the stage as the introductory notes played out. She froze, her back facing the audience, as she began to snap before opening her mouth to sing.

"**Hey Sister, Go Sister, Soul Sister, Go Sister.****  
><strong>**Hey Sister, Go Sister, Soul Sister, Go Sister****.**"

Hermione spun around quickly before beginning to dance around the stage again.

"**He met Marmalade down in Old New Orleans****  
><strong>**Struttin' her stuff on the street.****  
><strong>**She said 'Hello,****  
><strong>**Hey Joe, you wanna give it a go?'**

"**Gitchi Gitchi Ya Ya Ta Ta,****  
><strong>**Gitchi Gitchi Ya Ya Here.****  
><strong>**Mocha choca lata Ya Ya,****  
><strong>**Creole Lady Marmalade.**

"**Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?****  
><strong>**Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?**

"**He sat in her boudoir while she freshened up.****  
><strong>**The boy drank all that magnolia-wine****  
><strong>**On the black satin sheets oh I swear he started to freak****.**

"**Gitchi Gitchi Ya Ya Ta Ta,****  
><strong>**Gitchi Gitchi Ya Ya Here.****  
><strong>**Mocha Choco Lata Ya Ya,****  
><strong>**Creole Lady Marmalade.**

"**Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?****  
><strong>**Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?**

"**Touching her skin feelin' silky smooth,****  
><strong>**The color of cafe au lait.****  
><strong>**Made the savage beast inside****  
><strong>**Roar until it cried, more, more, more.**

"**Now he's back home doing 9 to 5****  
><strong>**Living his grey flannel life,****  
><strong>**But when he turns off to sleep****  
><strong>**Old memories meet, more, more, more.**

"**Gitchi Gitchi Ya Ya Ta Ta,****  
><strong>**Gitchi Gitchi Ya Ya Here.****  
><strong>**Mocha Choco Lata Ya Ya,****  
><strong>**Creole Lady Marmalade.**

"**Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?****  
><strong>**Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?****  
><strong>**Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?****  
><strong>**Creole Lady Marmalade.**"

As she finished her performance, the auditorium erupted into ear-splitting applause.

"Thank you! And now, ladies and gentlemen, for our final performance of the evening, I give you Miss Mercedes Jones singing Aretha Franklin's _Ain't No Way_!"

After the show had finished and the auditorium had emptied, the witches and wizards bid the former Gryffindor prefect farewell before apparating home. As she watched her friends leave, Hermione couldn't help but frown. Harry pulled her into the seat next to him and wrapped an arm around her.

"We all really miss you, Mione," The Boy-Who-Lived spoke quietly.

"I miss all of you too, Harry," the brown-eyed girl responded genuinely, placing her head on his shoulder.

"Have you thought about coming back at all?"

"Yes, but I've created a life here and I've grown to really care about my fellow glee club members as well as several other people. Not to mention, I love spending time with Will. He's the only family I've got left, Harry."

"I know, love. You know, I don't have Auror training over the summer. Will you think about coming to spend it with me?"

"I'd love that," Hermione smiled, quickly kissing his cheek.

"What else has you so upset?"

"I've forgotten how well you can read me," she sighed playfully. "It's Santana though. She wants to keep us a secret and I hate it. I mean, I understand from where she's coming. I guess I'm just scared that she'll throw me away in order to protect her reputation. Was I wrong in telling her that we should take a break?"

"Give her time, Mione. She's crazy about you. I think a break will help her realize that."

"What would I do without you?" Hermione questioned with a laugh as she wiped away a few tears.

"Probably lose your mind completely," the bespectacled boy responded with a smirk, earning a slap to the back of his head. "Oi. When did you become Snape?"

"Oh bugger off. I should get to the choir room though and let everyone know that we raised enough money for Nationals and The Brainiacs."

"There you go saving the world again. And you say I have a hero complex," Harry teased, ruffling her hair.

"I love you, Harry James Potter. Keep in touch, will you?"

"Of course. I love you too, Hermione Jean Granger." He embraced her one last time before kissing her forehead and apparating away. The remaining witch shook her head, grabbed the box of money, and finally headed towards the choir room.

"Hey, guys, thanks for all your help with putting this together. It definitely paid off! With the money from the kissing booth and the benefit concert, we have more than enough money for Nationals and The Brainiacs' trip to Detroit!" Hermione told them with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Tina, Mike, Brittany, and Artie all hurried up to her and thanked her profusely before Brittany initiated a group hug. The British girl locked eyes with Santana, who gazed at her guiltily before silently creeping out of the room.

"Hey, Herms, want to go out and celebrate?" Puck questioned as he walked up to her, Sam following silently behind him.

"That'd be great, guys," she responded tiredly, linking arms with the two boys. The trio walked out of the school when they heard a loud crack.

"What the hell was that?" The blonde exclaimed, looking around the parking lot.

"Oh, bloody hell," Hermione muttered as a familiar head of light blonde hair came charging forward. Waving his wand, he sent both football players soaring backwards into the walls of the school.

"Well, well, well, this is a new low for you, Granger. Associating with those even more filthy than yourself," the man called out, pointing his wand at her.

"Lucius, how on earth did you even find me?" The wavy-haired brunette retorted, pulling out her own wand.

"After Bellatrix went missing, no one was too surprised to find out that she went searching for you. Once we discovered what had happened to her, we realized that this pathetic little town must be the place where you were hiding. A few people sent me to finally put an end to you. You know you have quite a few enemies all over the world, Granger? Now, enough small talk. _Crucio!_" Hermione spun to avoid the curse, before throwing a _Stupefy_ back at the Death Eater. The man threw up a shield just in time before aiming a _Sectumsempra _at the young witch. The Gryffindor shifted again, her arm being the only thing to get sliced by the curse. Glaring angrily at the blonde man, she wordlessly levitated a nearby dumpster and sent it soaring towards the dark wizard across from her. He jumped aside with a yelp, but not before his leg was pinned to the ground by the heavy object.

"Had enough yet, Malfoy?" Hermione yelled through the pain she was feeling on her arm. Her opponent regained his footing before casting _Mobilicorpus _at Sam's unconscious form. "Release him!"

"Very well," Lucius sneered, releasing the spell once the boy was at least thirty feet in the air.

"_Aresto Momentum!_" The wavy-haired brunette called out, slowing down her friend's body before it smashed into the pavement. The Death Eater took advantage of the distraction and cast another _Sectumsempra _at the girl, hitting her squarely in the chest. Hermione hissed before falling to the ground as Lucius threw one last spell at her.

"_Crucio!_" After watching the brown-eyed girl writhe in pain for several minutes, the eldest Malfoy released the spell._ "_There's plenty more where that came from, Mudblood," the blonde-haired man hissed before apparating away.

"Puck? Sam? What the hell?" A voice called out from the doorway of the school.

"Quinn?" The boy with the mohawk groaned, sitting up and rubbing his head. "Where's Sam?" The hazel-eyed girl pointed to the lump that was slowly moving not too far from the other boy. "Hey, man, you ok?" He asked as he helped pull the younger boy up.

"Uhh, I think so. Where did that guy with the stick go?"

"I have no idea… Shit, where's Hermione?" Puck called out worriedly, frantically searching for the girl.

"Wait, you mean she was out here with you?" Quinn questioned worriedly, joining in on the search.

"Yeah, I saw her waving around a stick too before I lost consciousness," Sam murmured, rubbing his wrist. "Shit, I think it's broken."

"Go wait in the car, dude. Quinn and I will find Hermione." The other boy nodded and made his way over to Puck's truck.

"Puck!" The former Cheerio screamed from the other side of a dumpster lying on its side.

"What is it? Oh my fucking god," the boy paled as soon as he saw Quinn pressing her hands over several deep gashes covering Hermione's torso, trying to stop the bleeding.

"We need to get her to the hospital," the blonde girl cried out.

"N-n-no," the British girl whimpered. "T-t-take me home. Explain later."

"Herms, you're bleeding pretty badly," Puck told her with a frown.

"Please."

"Alright, alright, but you better not let me regret this." The football player gently picked up the girl he loved like a sister.

"Puck, why don't you just put her in my car since you don't have a backseat?" Quinn spoke quietly, fear evident on her face. The tall boy nodded gruffly and placed Hermione in his ex-girlfriend's car.

"Sam and I will follow you over to Schue's place, alright?"

The two cars quickly, yet carefully, made their way back to their choir director's apartment. Once they arrived, Puck hurried over to help Quinn get the heavily wounded girl inside.

"Bag," Hermione managed to get out pointing to her bedroom. Sam hurriedly found the bag and brought it over to the girl. The brown-eyed girl searched in her bag for something before pulling out an empty vial. "Fuck. C-c-call San." Quinn whipped out her cell phone and dialed the familiar number.

"Santana? Yeah, I don't want to be talking to you either, but something happened to Hermione and she's bleeding pretty heavily. No, she said she needed to come home. She tried to find something in that beaded bag of hers and then told us to call you. I don't know, just please get here soon."

The three teens sat around the wavy-haired brunette, who was slowly loosing consciousness.

"Fuck, where's Santana!" Puck called out angrily.

"Calm your tits, Puckerman, I'm here," the Latina snapped, running through the door. "Hermione, baby, what do you need?" She asked gently, forcing the injured girl to look her in the eyes.

"Floo Harry," she answered with a wince.

"But what about them?"

"J-just do it, please."

"You three will never repeat anything you see in here, got it?" Santana snarled making her way over to the mantle. The three quickly nodded, wondering what the other girl was doing. "Grimmauld Place!" She shouted after throwing some powder into the fireplace. She stuck her head into the green flames and yelled out, "Harry!"

"Santana?" The other three heard through the flames.

"You need to get over here. Now." Santana ordered, pulling her head out of the fireplace.

"What just happened?" Sam inquired, rapidly blinking his eyes. The raven-haired girl ignored his question, shifting her gaze from the fireplace to a now shivering Hermione. Seconds later, a boy climbed out of the fireplace causing Quinn to shriek and jump back into Puck's arms.

"Santana? What's go— Oh, Mione," the green-eyed boy let out sadly, pulling out a stick. He pointed it at her and started murmuring, "_Vulnera Sanentur. Vulnera Sanentur. Vulnera Sanentur._" The four non-magical teens watched in amazement as the bleeding stopped and the wounds knitted themselves together. The bespectacled boy rummaged through Hermione's beaded bag and pulled out a vial of red-colored liquid before tipping it into the healing girl's mouth. After a few moments of utter silence, Hermione groaned and sat up wearily.

"Bloody Malfoy, if I ever get my hands on him, I'll rip his throat out," she grumbled angrily. "Thanks, for saving my neck there, Harry," she said with a pained smile, hugging the boy next to her.

"I swear, I'm starting to think you're more accident prone than I am," he laughed quietly, wiping away a few tears that had fallen. "Now I believe we have some explaining to do."

"Um, Sam, Quinn, Puck, I know you have a lot of questions about everything you saw tonight, but I'll try to make it simple. Erm, I'm a witch," Hermione spoke quietly, waiting for a reaction.

"Wh-wh-what?" Quinn finally sputtered. "That's impossible!"

"Oh quiet down, Tubbers. How else would you explain everything you saw here tonight?" Santana said with a roll of her eyes, finally moving away from Hermione. "I did my part, I gots to go now," she huffed, hurrying out of the apartment.

"You're really a witch?" Sam questioned, his eyes wide. "That's so cool!"

"I'm glad you think so," the British girl chuckled, rubbing her arm where the gash used to be.

"So if you're a witch, does that mean that the dude who attacked us was a wizard?" Puck asked, nervously pacing around the apartment.

"Yes. He's a dark wizard by the name of Lucius Malfoy," Hermione grumbled. "That bloody little bastard."

"Mione, calm down," Harry urged. "You're still very weak."

"Sorry, Harry. Oh, are you two alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a bump on the head," Puck informed her, finally sitting down.

"Um, I think my wrist is fractured or broken, but other than that, I'm alright," Sam told her with a shrug. Harry motioned him forward and grasped the swollen wrist.

"_Ferula_," he spoke, gently tapping the boy's arm. Soon bandages and a splint appeared and secured themselves around the blonde boy's injury.

"That was way too awesome!" Sam called out happily, waving his now bandaged arm around.

"Quinn? Aren't you going to say anything?" Hermione inquired with a frown.

"I'm not gonna lie... It's a lot to take in, but I'm just so glad you're alright," the other girl said softly, grasping the young witch's hand.

"Thank, Merlin," the brown-eyed girl sighed. "You three have to promise not to say anything to anyone though, alright?" They nodded seriously before taking turns asking about magic and the wizarding world.

"Hey, Hermione, why didn't Satan stay longer?" Quinn finally asked with her infamous eyebrow raise.

"That's a long story…" she answered sadly, refusing to meet anyone's gaze.

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><p><strong>AN, part II: Song was "Lady Marmalade" by Labelle. I hope y'all liked this chapter. Hopefully, I'll be able to get another chapter up in a couple of days. Please feel free to offer any feedback, I always love hearing your opinions! :)**


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N: Sorry! Between the holidays and family drama, this chapter got pushed back. The next chapter is almost finished, so definitely expect that by the end of this week. **

**Balexi: Thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy the story!  
><strong>

**Foreversmile: Thank you so much! :)**

**Ky: Thanks again for your review! And sorry about that! Hope you enjoyed the holidays! And don't be pissed at San, she'll be back to her charming self eventually ;)**

**TobiasFangor92: Aww, don't be too hard on her! She's still the same caring Santana we all know and love, she's just struggling right now. The trouble in paradise will only last a few chapters, so never fear!**

**unexpected sabotage: Haha, thank you! I apologize for the paranoia I've caused, but there's a storm brewing, so you'll definitely have to stay tuned for that! I hope you enjoy this next chapter :)**

**For the song in this chapter, lines "like this" are sung by Hermione, lines "_like this_" are sung by Sam and Hermione, and lines "**like this**" are sung by New Directions.**

**Thanks again for all of the feedback and, as always, enjoy! **

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><p><strong>~Chapter 41~<strong>

A few weeks later, Hermione walked into the choir room with Quinn only to find themselves the first ones to arrive.

"So how are things going with Lopez?" The blonde asked reluctantly as they sat down in the back row.

"Well, we haven't talked since the night of the benefit concert," the British girl replied with a frown. The former head cheerleader studied the girl next to her, noticing how tired and forlorn she appeared and sighed sadly.

"Look, Hermione, if things are meant to work out, they will. You've just got to try and stay positive," Quinn told her even though it was killing her on the inside.

"Thanks, Q. I'm really glad I have you as a friend," the young witch responded with a bright smile causing the hazel-eyed girl's heart to flutter.

"No problem. So, um, have they gotten any closer to find that man that hurt you, Puck, and Sam?"

"No, unfortunately. It's like he and the other few remaining dark wizards disappeared off the face of the planet," Hermione huffed, rubbing her forehead with one of her hands. "It worries me. I have this horrible feeling that something terrible is going to happen." Before Quinn could respond, the other members of the New Directions and Mr. Schue hurried into the room.

"I can't believe she's even considering it!" Mercedes said quickly, throwing her arms up in the air.

"Well, she wouldn't be if Finn hadn't decked her in the face," Puck growled out, glaring at the awkward teen.

"Yeah, Finn, you've almost been in glee club for two years and you still suck at dancing," Mike pointed out with a roll of his eyes.

"Hey!"

"Guys, settle down," the choir director called out from his office.

"Oh, look, here she comes," whispered Tina, pointing at the door. Hermione zoned out as Rachel began to explain what the doctor told her and focused her gaze on the Latina occupying her thoughts. She was jerked out of her thoughts when she heard Rachel utter a few alarming words.

"Oh my god, you're getting a nose job," Quinn stated with a slight smirk as the group stared at the tiny diva in shock.

"I'm considering having a minor procedure to repair my deviated septum," Rachel said calmly.

"So a nose job?" Santana spoke up bluntly.

"Look, I'm happy with the way that I look, ok? I've embraced my nose, but let's say I wanted to have a slightly more demure nose…like Quinn's, for example. I would never change my appearance for vanity, but the doctor said that it could possibly improve my talent which could help us all with Nationals."

"But, Rach, what about the risks involved? Besides, you're already extremely talented, there's no reason to—" Hermione began before she was interrupted by the raven-haired girl across the room.

"Hold up. Could we all just get real here for a second? I hear that Rachel's got a bit of a schnoz. I mean, I wouldn't know because, like Medusa, I try to avoid eye contact with her, but can we all just stop lying about how there are all things that we wouldn't change about ourselves? I mean, I'm sure that Sam's been at the doctor's office and rifled through pamphlets on mouth reduction. I'll bet Artie has thought about getting his legs removed since he's not really using them anyways. And I'm definitely sure that Tina's looked into getting an eye de-slanting."

"For the love of god, Santana. Get over yourself. Just because you're pissed at me gives no reason for you to belittle everyone else."

"Fine. Want me to include you? How 'bout you get that stick removed out of your ass? Or how 'bout you find a better way to cover up those scars? Ooh, or how about you work on getting rid of that stupid hero complex? Seriously. How can you be so nice all the damn time? It's nauseating."

"Bloody hell, Santana. I see you're clearly trying to win me back," the wavy-haired brunette snapped back before storming out of the room. A few seconds later, the group winced upon hearing the sound of someone repeatedly punching the lockers before it became silent once more.

"Hey, all I'm trying to say is that if you see something about yourself that you don't like, change it," Santana muttered, a guilty expression crossing over her face before she put her mask back up.

"Way to go, Santana," Quinn snarled at the raven-haired girl. "If you keep treating her like that, it's going to be easy for someone to swoop in and take her from you," the hazel-eyed girl told her with a smirk before hurrying after the British girl. Only one person noticed the falter in the Latina's posture and vowed to confront her.

"Um, ok, guys. We'll talk more about this tomorrow, alright? Class dismissed." After the room had emptied out, Puck hesitantly approached Santana.

"Dude, you gotta stop treating people like that, especially Hermione if you want to get her back."

"Oh, fuck off, Puckerman. You're just as bad as I am."

"I was just as bad as you, yes. But I've changed and everyone can see that. Now what's got you so pissy?"

"I just miss being with Mia," she murmured quietly, letting go of her cold exterior. "And Fabray is trying to get with her, I just know it."

"Ok, ignoring that. If you miss her so much, why are you being such a bitch to her? It's only going to push her farther away," the boy with the mohawk pointed out with a raise of one of his eyebrows as he sat down next to her.

"I guess I just don't want her to see how miserable I am without her."

"Well, she did say this was only a break, right?" The Latina nodded slowly. "Then work on becoming more comfortable with yourself and then work on patching things up with Hermione. You need to apologize to her first though."

"Yeah, I know you're right. You know how hard this is for me though."

"I do," the football player agreed with her and the two sat in silence for a while. "You know, I always thought you'd have this sexuality crisis over Brittany."

"I felt stuff for Brit in the past. I mean, how could I not? But those feelings were nothing compared to what I feel for Hermione. I've really screwed up," the brown-eyed girl groaned, burying her face in her hands.

"Apologize to her as soon as you can and try to stop saying such stupid things, then we'll work on the next part of the plan, ok?" Santana nodded and allowed herself to be hugged by the boy before going off in search of Hermione. After looking in the Spanish classroom, the auditorium, and the library, the Latina hadn't had any luck. She let out a frustrated sigh and walked over to the one person she wanted to avoid.

"Have you seen Hermione?" She muttered quietly.

"I believe I saw her running around the track. Don't be an ass to her again, Santana," Rachel replied with a glare before storming off. The former cheerleader hurried to the field and smiled softly upon seeing the wavy-haired brunette running laps in shorts and a sports bra. She jogged to catch up with her.

"Hey, can we talk?" Santana inquired nervously.

"I suppose. What do you want?" Hermione replied slowing down her run and plopping down on a nearby bench. "San, my eyes are up here," the British girl stated with a roll of her eyes, the corners of her lips slightly twitching.

"I'm sorry for what I said today. You know I didn't mean any of it. Well, I didn't mean any of the things I said to you. I just…really miss you."

"I haven't gone anywhere."

"You know what I mean," Santana murmured, finally sitting down. "I miss holding you and kissing you and making love to you and just being with you in general."

"I miss all of that too, San. I'm not going back on what I said though," the British girl responded softly, gently grabbing the other girl's hand.

"I know and I don't expect you to. I'm going to try being more comfortable with my…sexuality," the raven-haired girl finished slowly.

"You promise?" The former Cheerio nodded sincerely, earning a smile from the older girl. "Ok, good. Um, can I call you tonight? Going without our nightly phone calls is making my nightmares so bloody awful."

"Yeah, of course, Mia. We'll get through this, won't we?"

"I think so. I have faith in you, Santana Lopez. I'll talk to you later," Hermione said while giving the other girl's hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it. "Oh, and tomorrow you're apologizing to everyone."

"I will as long as you do something to heal your hand," the Latina spoke up causing the other girl to look down at her swollen, bruised hand.

"Oh, yeah, I promise," she responded sheepishly before walking away.

"See you later, mi amor," the younger girl mumbled sadly before standing up and heading in the opposite direction.

The next afternoon, the New Directions eyed Miss Pillsbury curiously as their choir director wrote something on the whiteboard. Hermione gave Santana a pointed look as the Latina stood up with a roll of her eyes.

"Um, I just wanted to apologize for all of the things I said yesterday. It wasn't cool, so yeah, sorry."

"Has hell frozen over?" Mercedes whispered to Tina with wide eyes. The raven-haired girl shifted nervously under the intense scrutiny directed at her before she returned to her seat.

"Uh, why is Miss Pillsbury here?" Finn finally questioned after he recovered from Santana's apology.

"She's helping us out with this week's assignment. Now, this is the only club at school that is represented by just about every race, religion, sexual orientation, and clique, but many of you are still having a hard time with acceptance."

"That's crazy, Mr. Schue, we love each other."

"Now, I won't deny that you accept each other, but you don't accept yourselves. This week's assignment has two parts. I want all of you to sing songs about accepting yourself for who you are. The best and the worst parts."

"What's the second part?"

"Well, we're gonna do a group number by the queen of self-love…Gaga. We're gonna perform her anthem to acceptance…_Born This Way_."

"Wait, wait, I still don't know why Miss Pillsbury is here."

"I'm here to help you with your costumes for the big number. Each of you will be issued a beautifully fitted white t-shirt. We will then use this letter press to write a word or a phrase that best describes the thing about you that you're the most ashamed of or that you'd like to change, but you can't because you were born that way which is super terrific."

"Uh, Will, what if we put something that describes us that we're not really ashamed of?" Hermione inquired with a tilt of her head.

"What did you have in mind, Mia?"

"Likes girls, of course. It's not something I'd want to change though," she stated with confident smile and a wink.

"That's perfectly ok. Now you guys have an idea of the types of things that should be on your shirt. And don't forget to wear your shirts with pride! Good luck this week!" Mr. Schue told them with ecstatically as he dismissed them.

"Hey, Sammy, I have a proposition for you," Hermione called out to the boy before he could walk away.

"Sure, Herms, what's up?" The football player asked her with a crooked grin.

"Wanna help me perform a song for this week's lesson?"

"Yeah, that'd be awesome! What did you have in mind?" Hermione leaned up to whisper her idea into the boy's ear. "Oh, man, that's perfect. I'm assuming I'm playing guitar. What are you playing?"

"Um, I was thinking the drums."

"I'm sure you get asked this a lot, but is there _anything_ you can't do?" Sam inquired while looking at the girl in awe.

"Apparently, I'm not too good at maintaining a relationship," the British girl grumbled. "Enough about that though. Wanna work on it after school today? We can rehearse in the auditorium."

"Yeah, sounds great. See you then, Herms!" The blonde hugged her before hurrying to his next class.

Later that night, Hermione disapparated from the alley next to their building and appeared in a nearby forest, clearly shaken up from the letter she had just received from Remus.

"How could Ron be missing?" She grumbled to herself before whipping out her wand. She started casting spells at the various trees and boulders around her, feeling conflicted over her feelings about her former friend's disappearance. "For fuck's sake, Ronald," she cried out angrily, destroying another tree. Suddenly, her phone began to ring. "What?" She snapped.

"Whoa, hey, it's me," the voice on the phone said calmly. "Are you ok, Mia?"

"Oh, sorry, San. I forgot you were calling."

"You sound out of breath. What's wrong?" The Latina questioned worriedly.

"Oh, nothing, I just went out into the woods to practice some magic…" Hermione trailed off, uncertainly.

"Ok, now I know you're lying. C'mon, you can talk to me. What's going on?"

"I have a bad feeling that something terrible is happening in the wizarding world. Something that we're not expecting, but I can't figure out what it is. And now Ronald has apparently gone missing and I'm not sure how I'm supposed to be feeling about that."

"You should be feeling some fucking relief. You don't need that fucking ginger in your life as far as I'm concerned."

"San…" The British girl began before chuckling slightly.

"As for the other part…have you spoken with Harry about your concerns?"

"Not yet. He's off on some mission and contacting him is nearly impossible until it's over. I don't know what to do!"

"Princesa, you don't need to get yourself all worked up. Please calm down. There's nothing you can do about it now, so why don't you go home and get some sleep and we can try working through this more tomorrow?"

"You really want to try and help me figure all of this out?"

"Well, naturally. You're the most important person in my life right now and I don't like to see you so upset. Er, well, hear you so upset, I guess," the former Cheerio stated uncomfortably.

"You're ridiculous," the older girl muttered playfully.

"Shh, that's our little secret."

"Thanks, San. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"No problem, Mia. Now pop on home and call me once you're settled into bed and we can talk until you fall asleep, alright?"

"Ok, dear. Talk to you soon," Hermione responded with a giggle.

A few days later, the young witch stood in front of her fellow glee club members with Sam.

"Alright, guys, Sam and I have prepared a song that truly exemplifies this week's lesson. I'm sure you know the song, so feel free to join in," the wavy-haired brunette informed them with a dazzling smile before walking over to the drum set. She nodded at Sam and he soon began playing the familiar notes of the intro before Hermione joined him on the drums and started singing.

"**Hey, don't write yourself off yet,****  
><strong>**It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on.****  
><strong>**Just try your best, try everything you can.****  
><strong>**And don't you worry what they tell themselves when you're away.**"

After she finished singing the first verse, Sam beamed at her before joining in on the chorus.

"_**It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle of the ride.**__**  
><strong>__**Everything, everything will be **__**just fine, everything, everything will be alright, alright.**_"

"**Hey, you know they're all the same.****  
><strong>**You know you're doing better on your own, so don't buy in.****  
><strong>**Live right now.****  
><strong>**Yeah, just be yourself.****  
><strong>**It doesn't matter if it's good enough for someone else.**"

By this point the rest of the teenagers had stood up and danced over to the two musicians to join them on the chorus.

"It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle of the ride.  
><span>Everything, everything will be just fine, everything, everything will be alright, alright.<span>  
><span>It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle of the ride.<span>  
><span>Everything, everything will be just fine, everything, everything will be alright, alright.<span>"

"**Hey, don't write yourself off yet.****  
><strong>**It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on.****  
><strong>**Just do your best, do everything you can.****  
><strong>**And don't you worry what the bitter hearts are gonna say."**

"It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle of the ride.  
><span>Everything, everything will be just fine, everything, everything will be alright, alright.<span>  
><span>It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle of the ride.<span>  
><span>Everything, everything will be just fine, everything, everything will be alright, alright.<span>"

As the performance came to an end, Rachel pulled Hermione away from the drums and hugged her tightly.

"Mia, Sam, that was great! You definitely understood this week's assignment!" Mr. Schue praised as he clapped Sam on the back. While the group was busy chatting with themselves about their t-shirt ideas, Hermione looked the tiny diva in the eyes.

"Rach, you don't have to get that silly nose job, ok? You are so beautiful the way you are on the inside as well as the outside. Surely, you can see that. And your voice is magnificent. I know you'll win a bunch of Tony's in the future, so why risk hindering that?"

"You really have a way with words, you know? Finn's not nearly as articulate as you are when it comes to making a point. Your words though and that performance finally opened my eyes, I guess. I'm not going to get the surgery," Rachel responded shyly.

"Really?" The shorter girl nodded. "That's great!" Hermione squealed as she lifted her up and spun her around causing the other girl to burst out laughing. Neither of them noticing the fond look Santana was throwing at the older girl.

"Don't worry, Sanny, you'll have her back in no time," Brittany whispered happily into the Latina's ear.

"You think so, Brit-Britt?" The raven-haired girl questioned with a small smile.

"Oh, I know so, she's totally your lobster!" The bubbly blonde told her while clapping her hands excitedly. Santana simply beamed at her before turning back to watch the wavy-haired brunette chatting cheerfully with some of the other members.

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><p><strong>AN, part II: Song was "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World. I hope you liked this chapter! **


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N: Sorry, I know I'm a few days late! I was going to post this earlier today, but I started watching old episodes of Whose Line Is It Anyway? and that ended up being a huge distraction. Anyway! Here's the latest update!**

**unexpected sabotage: My lips are sealed! Thank you again for taking the time to review! :)**

**TobiasFangor92: Just wait until the next few chapters for some lovely Quinn/Santana drama. I hope you had a great birthday! **

**Kaylah: Aww, thank you! Unfortunately, this story is going to end around chapter 50 or 51, but there is most definitely going to be a sequel that I hope y'all will enjoy as much as this story! **

**Enjoy! :)**

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><p><strong>~Chapter 42~<strong>

Hermione was walking past the main office a few days later when she saw Mr. Hummel talking to the principal.

"Hello, Mr. Hummel, Principal Figgins, is everything alright?" She inquired brightly, approaching the two men.

"Oh, hello, Hermione," Burt greeted the girl with a smile. "I think everything's ok. It looks like my son might be transferring back."

"Really?" The British girl asked, her eyes lighting up. Her friend's father chuckled and nodded his head. "But, wait, what about Karofsky?"

"If he does one thing to Kurt or any other student, he will be expelled immediately," Principal Figgins informed her seriously.

"I believe that's fair. Hopefully, he takes that warning to heart and ceases his bullying." She paused as the door to the office opened and squealed as Kurt walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Are you really coming back?" She questioned excitedly as he lifted her up.

"Looks that way, darling. I mean, I couldn't miss the _Born This Way_ number, now could I?" He told her with a wink.

"Why, Mr. Hummel, I'm hurt. Here I thought you were coming back because you miss seeing me every day."

"Well, that too. I am officially back at McKinley tomorrow at noon. Don't let anyone know, ok? I wanna make a grand entrance."

"Of course, love. It was great seeing you again, Mr. Hummel. Kurt, I'll see you tomorrow," Hermione spoke with a kind smile before turning around to walk down the hallway.

"Wait, Hermione!" Burt called out causing the young witch to face him with a puzzled expression on her face. "Would you like to come to dinner tonight? It'll just be you, Carol, Kurt, and me. Finn's going out with Rachel or something," he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh, I'd love to, Mr. Hummel!"

"Great! And please, call me Burt," the older man told her with a warm smile.

"Alright then," she laughed. "See you tonight, Burt!" She called out over her shoulder before she made her way towards Santana's locker. Suddenly, a force crashed into her almost knocking her to the ground.

"Quinn? Quinn? Quinn! What the bloody hell is going on?"

"S-s-someone found out some dirt about me and posted it all over the school to sabotage my campaign for prom queen," the hazel-eyed girl choked out as she threw her arms around the older girl.

"Wait, what? What did they find?" Hermione asked, while rubbing her back soothingly.

"Some pictures of what I used to look like," Quinn groaned miserably.

"Show me?" The blonde-haired girl grabbed Hermione's hand and led her to where one of the posters was hanging up. "Ok, first off, whoever did that really delivered a low blow. Secondly, you're beautiful, Q. Then and now. C'mon, I want to show you something." The British girl gently pulled her into Will's office and picked up a picture frame. "This is what I looked like when I was younger," the brown-eyed girl winced with a crooked grin. Quinn looked at the picture and gasped.

"Your hair looked alive and you had buckteeth?" The former head cheerleader inquired disbelievingly.

"Go ahead and laugh, Q. I know you want to," the brunette sighed good-naturedly as the blonde let out a giggle. "Quinn, I understand you more than you think. You are one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen and I know you think people only see that part of you, but I've seen the real you. The girl from that childhood picture. The girl who has a kind heart, but is afraid to let it show because she doesn't want to get hurt. The girl who gets joy out of art and photography, but doesn't want people to know that she loves to express herself. The girl who loves to read, but doesn't want people to think she's a bookworm. The girl who gets so upset whenever she sees a baby, but wants people to think that she just forgot about her pregnancy. The girl who is so afraid to be herself because she doesn't want to disappoint people. You're amazing, Quinn Fabray and you've just got to let people see that. I guarantee that it'll make you so much happier. Better yet, it'll set you free." Quinn looked up at her with tear-filled eyes and wrapped her arms around the older girl yet again.

"Thank you," she murmured. "Thank you so much." The two girls embraced for several moments before a loud commotion broke them apart.

"What the hell is going on?" Someone shrieked from the doorway.

"Nothing, Santana. We were just talking," Hermione answered with a roll of her eyes. "I was actually on my way to see you when I ran into Quinn."

"Run along then, Fabray," the Latina snarled at her former captain.

"Thanks again, Hermione. I'll talk to you later?" The British girl smiled and nodded. The blonde beamed at her before quickly placing a kiss on the older girl's cheek, smirking at Santana as she hurried away. The two brown-eyed girls watched her make her way down the hall before turning to face each other.

"Did you really have to slam all of your books onto the ground?" The former prefect deadpanned as she bent over to retrieve the fallen objects. "It's not like they ever did anything to you."

"Well, they may not have, but she sure has! She wants to be with you," Santana stated with a growl.

"Well, the person I want to be with is standing right in front of me, so relax, San. I was coming to bring you a shirt for the big number."

"Oh, what's it say?"

"Well, uh, it matches mine," the wavy-haired brunette muttered shyly as she unfolded it.

"Mia, you know I'm not going to wear that. People could see and—"

"Now this is what I don't understand. You say you love me, but you don't even really love yourself," Hermione stated with a frown. "You need to be able to be happy with yourself if there's any hope for our future. Take the shirt and think about it, ok?" The Latina hesitated before taking it and shoving it into her backpack.

"Fine, whatever, can we get outta here now?" The raven-haired girl stated uncomfortably. The taller girl nodded with a sigh and followed Santana out of the office.

Later that night, Hermione hurriedly got ready for her night with the Hummels. With one last glance in the mirror, she smiled and rushed out the door. She gazed at the parking garage with dread before deciding to walk to their household. Thankfully, her destination wasn't too far from their building. Several minutes later, she walked up the driveway and knocked on the door.

"Oh, hello, dear," Carol greeted her with a bright smile, ushering her in. "Did you walk here, Hermione?" She asked her worriedly.

"Oh yes, it's no big deal. It was only about a thirty minute walk. It's just such a beautiful night," Hermione responded, not wanting to give her real reason for walking. "Oh! These are for you," she said kindly, handing the older woman the bouquet of flowers she had brought with her.

"They're gorgeous, thank you. Kurt is in the living room. Please make yourself comfortable. Dinner will be ready shortly." Hermione returned her smile and approached her friend.

"Hey, honey!" The well-dressed boy called out happily upon seeing her.

"Long time, no see, love," she teased, quickly kissing him on the cheek and sitting down next to him.

"So, how have you been? A little bird told me there's a bit of tension between you and a certain Latina."

"Always one for gossip, eh, Kurt?"

"What can I say? The biggest drama I've faced at Dalton has been about neckties. It's all quite boring really. I can't wait to be walking down the very dramatic halls of McKinley once more."

"Oh, it is going to be great having you back!" The British girl said with a giggle. "I have missed your dry sense of humor."

"Oh yes, y'all would be crazy not to miss me. But enough about me, what's going on with Santana? Does it have to do with what happened the night of the benefit concert?"

"Um, yeah, pretty much. She just refuses to be open about our relationship with people outside of glee club and it hurts. I don't really want to have to go back into the closet," she informed him with a frown.

"Yes, I understand that. As much as I hate getting bullied by those imbeciles, being out is so much more freeing. You can't really force her to come out if she's not ready though, you know?"

"I know and I don't want to make her do something she doesn't feel comfortable with, but at the same time, I want to be able to walk down the hallway holding her hand. I'm being an ass, aren't I?"

"You just want to show off your sexy girlfriend, there's no harm in that," Kurt responded with a wink. "Don't be too hard on yourself. You've just got to be patient with her," he told her gently, wrapping his arms around her.

"Thanks, love," she murmured with a smile, sinking into his embrace.

"Kids, dinner's ready!" Carol called out. The two teenagers entered the dining room and sat down across from each other.

"This looks delicious, Mrs. Hummel," Hermione spoke up genuinely.

"Oh, thank you, dear. And please, call me Carol," the older woman responded with a smile. After dinner, the rest of the evening was filled with pleasant conversation, causing Hermione to feel a lot happier than she had in a while.

The next afternoon, the young witch ushered the New Directions to the quad and eagerly counted down the minutes until noon.

"Well, it's official!" The British girl exclaimed happily.

"What's official?"

"My transfer!" A familiar voice called out from the top of the stairs. "Kurt Hummel's back at McKinley!" The glee club members cheered loudly as the well-dressed boy hurried down the stairs to hug everyone. "Ok, let's get ready for Nationals."

"Not yet, love. There are some people who'd like to say goodbye to you," Hermione informed him as she gestured towards the far set of stairs. Kurt felt his heart well up with love as he noticed Blaine slowly walking down the stairs with Wes and David. As the Warblers sang _Somewhere Only We Know_, the wavy-haired brunette couldn't help but glance at Santana and wonder if she'd ever be comfortable enough with their relationship to perform such a heartfelt song for her in front of so many people.

A few days later, Hermione walked down the school hallways, proudly wearing her 'Like Girls' shirt and frowned when she noticed Santana wearing one that read, 'Bitch'. She didn't feel like approaching the other girl right now and instead headed towards Kurt's locker.

"Hey, Hermione, I love your shirt," the blue-eyed gushed while showing her his 'Likes Boys' one.

"Thanks. It was between this or 'Know-It-All'," she chuckled. "I like yours too. If only Santana had your confidence…"

"Still being stubborn?"

"Yes, but I'm trying to take your advice and let her come to terms with herself on her own," the British girl groaned as they walked to the auditorium to get ready for the big number. As the group gathered on the stage and showed off their t-shirts, it became evident that someone was missing.

"Hey, where's Santana?" Artie questioned curiously.

"Probably off sulking somewhere," grumbled the wavy-haired brunette.

"Well, I talked to her earlier and tried to get her to wear the shirt Hermy made her, but she got all mad at me and stormed off," Brittany said with a pout.

"It's not you, Brit. I'm the one pushing her too hard," sighed Hermione as she wrapped an arm around the saddened dancer.

"Well, it's her loss. Ok, guys, hit it!" Will called out as they got in their positions seconds before the music started playing.

As the group performed, no one noticed a miserable looking Santana sitting in the audience wearing the 'Likes Girls' shirt.

On Monday morning, Santana cautiously moved to the front of the room and whispered something to Mr. Schue who nodded and sat down next to his niece.

"I know I'm a little late, but I prepared something to sing in relation to last week's lesson. It doesn't fit perfectly, but hopefully it'll get my point across," she addressed them nervously before nodding to the band to begin playing. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth to sing.

"_Darling, can't you see__  
><em>_What losing you has done to me?__  
><em>_I'm not the same girl I used to be.__  
><em>_Have a change of heart,__  
><em>_Don't leave me standing in the dark,__  
><em>_Don't let confusion keep us apart.__  
><em>_Come back to me and I'll guarantee__  
><em>_All the tenderness and love you'll ever need._"

Once the Latina finished the first verse, she opened her eyes and gazed at Hermione as she sang the chorus.

"_This time I'll be sweeter,__  
><em>_Our love will run deeper.  
>I won't mess around,<em>_  
><em>_I won't let you down,__  
><em>_Have faith in me,  
>Have faith in me.<em>

"_Since you've been away,__  
><em>_I haven't seen the light of day.__  
><em>_I'm lost without you, can't find my way.__  
><em>_So won't you please be fair,__  
><em>_And let me show how much I care?__  
><em>_Say you'll be mine and answer my prayer.__  
><em>_Come back to me and I promise I'll be  
>Everything that's bright and new your whole life through.<em>

"_This time I'll be sweeter,__  
><em>_Our love will run deeper.__  
><em>_I won't mess around.__  
><em>_I won't let you down,  
>Have faith in me,<em>_  
><em>_Have faith in me._

"_This time I'll be sweeter,  
>Our love will run deeper.<br>I won't mess around,  
>I won't let you down,<br>Have faith in me,  
>Have faith in me.<em>"

After Santana finished her performance, she turned to meet the British girl's bewildered gaze. Ignoring everyone else, the former cheerleader started shuffling around apprehensively awaiting the older girl's reaction.

"Um, guys, I think I lost part of my weave in the auditorium. Come help me find it right this second!" Mercedes exclaimed, hoping her friends took the hint. The New Directions rushed out of the room with Rachel explaining to a confused looking Finn what they were doing. Mr. Schue followed his students out, making sure he closed the door behind him.

"What're you trying to say, San?" The young witch questioned wearily, running her hand through her hair.

"I know I'm a bitch to be with, but I don't want you to give up on me. I'm trying to be more comfortable with myself, but it's going to take a lot of time. I just need to know that you'll wait for me. I need to know that—"

"How many times have I told you that I'm not going anywhere?" Hermione interrupted with a frown. "You're the one who has to decide whether or not I'm worth it."

"You are so worth it. I know I'm being an idiot right now. You know I'm not good with feelings and opening myself up to people," the raven-haired girl whispered as a few tears trickled down her face. Hermione approached her and used her thumb to wipe away the tears as Santana sighed contentedly at the contact. "But you've changed me so much for the better and I don't want to go back to being the kind of person I was before. I just…miss you so much."

"Let me help you. As a friend, not your girlfriend." The Latina nodded as more tears fell from her eyes. "San, you have come so far in the time that I've known you and I'm so proud of you for that. You pretty much came out to the glee club and you're comfortable with our relationship in front of my friends from back home and I love you for that. I just don't understand why you want to stop there."

"I don't want my family to hate me for loving you. I mean, I doubt my parents would even care seeing as they're never around, but I can't lose my abuela. She's my idol, Mia," the former Cheerio choked out.

"I know, San, but I don't want you to continue going around being ashamed of me, our relationship, and most importantly, yourself. You're brilliant, love, and I want to show you off, but you won't let me."

"Just give me time. I promise I'll work on it," the younger girl pleaded.

"Ok, but I still think we need to remain on a break at least until you're more comfortable with us. Is that fair?" The young witch inquired as she rubbed the crying girl's back.

"I guess. At this point, I'll agree to anything. I just don't want you out of my life completely."

"Alright. I'll see you around, San," Hermione murmured as she turned around to open the door and exit the choir room.

"Wait," Santana called out softly while grabbing her wrist. "Call me tonight, ok? I can tell you haven't been sleeping well again," she frowned and placed a tentative kiss on the older girl's forehead. "You don't have to be afraid of waking me up or anything. I just want to be there for you, so please feel free to call me whenever you need to, alright?"

"I will," the wavy-haired brunette promised. "Thanks, love." As she moved out into the hallway, the raven-haired singer couldn't help but smile at the term of endearment.

"God, that girl has turned me into such a sap," the Latina chuckled to herself before gathering her things and heading to the auditorium to fetch her best friend and update her on what had just occurred. "Hopefully, this means things are starting to look up…"

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><p><strong>AN, part II: Song was Angela Bofill's version of "This Time I'll Be Sweeter". **


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N: It's about damn time, isn't it? I am so sorry! A lot has been going on, but I battled through whatever illness to which I've succumbed to bring y'all a fairly long update.**

**Thanks as always for the feedback, y'all help keep me writing! **

**Enjoy! :) **

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><p><strong>~Chapter 43~<strong>

A few days had passed and Hermione was sitting next to Kurt, rolling her eyes as Rachel interrogated the poor boy about why he was seen outside of a motel with Sam.

"Oh, Rachel, how I've missed your insanity. Sam may be cute, but I only have eyes for Blaine, so will you please drop it?"

"I will not drop this, Kurt! Why else would you be meeting up with Sam at a motel? You're cheating on Blaine!" Rachel accused as she continued rambling. Hermione and Kurt just tuned out the tiny diva until they were disrupted by a furious Latina rushing over towards them, causing the well-dressed boy to shriek.

"Hermione, what the hell is this? What blondie former cheerleader is having a secret moonlight motel rendezvous with our favorite British beauty?" Santana spat waving the newspaper in the older girl's face.

"Are you mental? You don't seriously believe that, do you?" Hermione responded exasperatedly.

"Why shouldn't I? I know Fabray's trying to get into your pants!"

"Ok, seriously, San, you've got to calm down. Quinn and I are just friends."

"Unfortunately," the hazel-eyed girl grumbled before Santana lunged at her. Quinn's eyes narrowed as she started trying to throw the other girl off of her. Before things could get too out of hand, Hermione shot up and pried the raven-haired girl off the blonde.

"Santana, calm down! And Quinn, you're not helping!" The young witch shouted out, trying to keep the two girls apart. "Puck, a little help here!"

"On it, babe," the boy with the Mohawk answered, throwing the Latina over his shoulder and carrying her over to the other side of the room, ignoring the Spanish insults spewing from her mouth.

"Not really what I had in mind," the British girl sighed before turning to look at the smirking girl in front of her. "Q, do you really have to push her buttons like that?"

"Sorry, Hermione," the blonde muttered sheepishly before returning to her seat.

"Like anyone believes that bullshit!" Santana retorted, trying to get out of Puck's grasp. Hermione shook her head tiredly and approached the fuming girl.

"San, you seriously need to stop acting like this right now. I'm not in the mood to deal with your childish behavior."

"Why can't you open your eyes and see that she is just a little skank who is trying to take you away from me?"

"Takes one to know one, Slutana!" The former cheerleading captain yelled back.

"Oh, that's it! I'm about to go ALL Lima Heights!" The raven-haired girl managed to break free from Puck's grasp before Hermione blocked her path to the hazel-eyed girl.

"Whoa, guys! What is going on here?" Will cried out, finally entering the room to see Santana glaring dangerously at Hermione and Quinn.

"Oh, nothing, Mr. Schue, just Little Miss Priss trying to steal my girl!" The Latina screamed, trying to get around Hermione. "Damn your cat like reflexes," she grumbled, crossing her arms angrily.

"Santana, stop. We're on a break, remember? At least until you can go around being proud of our relationship. Quinn doesn't even care anymore about what people are saying about her."

"Yeah, thanks to you," the blonde spoke with a fond smile.

"Don't mess with me, Tubbers," the Latina growled before storming off, Hermione hurrying after her.

"Um, I guess we're not having rehearsal today. Hopefully, everyone comes in with new attitudes tomorrow," the choir director stated sternly.

* * *

><p>"San, wait up!" The British girl yelled out to the furious former cheerleader. "It's just a bloody rumor. You know you're the only one for me."<p>

"Would you keep it down?" The shorter girl hissed as she whipped around.

"So you get all fired up about some gossip about me with another girl, but you still won't publicly acknowledge what we have?" Hermione scoffed as the Latina's glare faltered.

"You promise there's nothing going on between you and Quinn?" Santana questioned apprehensively.

"Yes, San. Despite being on a break, I'm still mad about you and I think I always will be."

"Ok," the younger girl nodded before turning around and walking off. Hermione huffed as she watched her walk away before going off in search of Sam. After several minutes of searching, the young witch finally found the blonde football player asleep in the back of the library.

"Sammy, you need to wake up," she muttered, gently shaking the younger boy.

"Herms? What time is it?" The boy questioned sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"It's a little after three," she informed him, sitting down beside the blonde.

"Crap! We need to get to glee!" Sam exclaimed, trying to stand up quickly.

"No, we don't. Practice got cancelled for today."

"What? Why?"

"Someone saw me and Quinn outside of that motel and wrote an article about us having an affair…"

"And I'm assuming Santana saw it and flipped out?" The British girl nodded. "Shit, I'm sorry, Herms. This is all my fault."

"Samuel Evans, stop that right now. This is not your fault. San's just being ridiculous. Quinn and I are going to keep helping you for as long as you need it," Hermione murmured, throwing an arm around him. Sam frowned at her words before attempting to stifle a yawn. "I really wish you didn't have to work yourself nearly to death," she spoke sadly.

"I need to do what I can to help my family, you know that."

"I know, but you're only sixteen," she stated grimly.

"Herms, I appreciate your concern, but you were doing stuff a lot more dangerous when you were eleven than me delivering pizzas at sixteen," he chuckled for the first time in a while.

"Don't make me regret telling you all that stuff, Sammy," Hermione growled playfully, happy to hear the younger boy laugh. "At least let me buy you and your family dinner tonight, alright?"

"There's nothing I can say to change your mind, right?"

"Nope, definitely not!"

"Alright, fine. Let's go get Stacy and Stevie and ask them what they'd like for dinner. My parents won't really care what we get."

"Sounds like a plan. How are your parents doing?" The wavy-haired brunette inquired as they stood up.

"They're still really stressed out, but at least they aren't taking it out on each other anymore. My mom found a job at the grocery store, so that's helping a bit. They really do appreciate everything you and the others are doing."

"I only wish I could do more," she told him forlornly as they walked to her car.

"Herms, you got over your fear of driving again to help me with my siblings, you babysit them all the time, you tutor all of us, you provide us with food as much as we'll let you, and you've even helped us pay for the motel room. You've done plenty for us," the blonde murmured, giving her a watery smile.

"Oh, Sammy, come here," Hermione cried out softly, pulling the boy into her arms. "Things will get better soon, I know they will. Now, let's go get those adorable little monsters you call your siblings."

As Hermione sat in glee the next afternoon, she couldn't hide her happiness as Will and April Rhodes, whom she had met last night, sang Fleetwood Mac's _Dreams_.

"Blimey, I think I am in love with her voice," the British girl murmured to Kurt.

"Oh, I know what you mean. The first time I heard her sing, I cried," the well-dressed boy responded quietly as he admired the blonde songstress. After April and the choir director finished their duet, the group was informed of their next assignment.

"_Rumours_. A classic record by Fleetwood Mac. One of the greatest albums of all time. Written as the band was breaking apart to keep it together. Now, this week, we are done with the backstabbing and the gossip and we're channeling all that energy into working together. So, pick a song from the album and put your own spin on it. Simple as that," Mr. Schue told his students with an encouraging smile.

"This is brilliant! I love Fleetwood Mac," Hermione cried out happily as she threw her arms around her uncle and quietly began throwing out ideas to him left and right.

"I'm loving the enthusiasm, Mia," the hazel-eyed man chortled before taking her aside. "Are you going to be helping Sam and his family tonight?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah, sorry I haven't been home much, but I just can't abandon them..."

"I know and I don't expect you to," he told her encouragingly. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to be doing some work with April tonight for her show."

"Oh, well ok then," she smiled, relieved that he wasn't going to ask her to stop spending so much time with the Evans family. "And really? That's great! This could be your big break!"

"Well, I don't know about that, but between you and me, I'm keeping my fingers crossed," Will muttered, smiling nervously. Hermione beamed at him and gave him one last hug before hurrying over to Sam and Quinn. The trio walked out of the room, talking in hushed whispers, unaware of a pair of dark eyes glaring at them from across the room.

That night, Santana and Brittany found themselves sitting in a car across the street from a shady motel.

"Why are we here, Sanny?" The blonde dancer questioned confusedly.

"We need to make sure that there's nothing going on between Hermione and Fabray, B," the Latina muttered slowly, handing the girl a pair of binoculars.

"Oh, why don't you trust Hermy?"

"I trust her. It's Little Miss Priss I don't trust," she growled out, focusing on the rooms in front of them.

"Where did you even find all of this stuff?" The ditzy girl asked with a tilt of her head.

"My abuela has a ton of surveillance equipment in her garage for some reason. Now, shh, I think someone's coming outside." The two former cheerleaders fell silent as Santana put a camera up to her face and zoomed in on the door.

"Oh, look there's Q and Hermy!" Brittany pointed out cheerfully. "Can we go say hi?"

"No, B," the raven-haired girl snapped as she glared at the former head cheerleader embracing the British girl. She continued to watch them chat until Quinn kissed the taller girl on the cheek and walked over to her car. Hermione shook her head before turning to head back into the hotel room. "I'm gonna kill her."

"Who?"

"Fabray," the brown-eyed girl snarled before getting out of her car and charging at the hazel-eyed girl. "What the fuck are you doing with her?" She screamed before throwing Quinn into her car.

"What the fuck is your problem, Lopez?" The former head Cheerio shouted back while pushing the other girl off of her. Santana moved to attack the taller girl again before a pair of arms latched onto her and pulled her back.

"You need to calm down," Hermione ordered, holding her tightly.

"Get the fuck off of me! You're lying to me! Something's going on between the two of you," the Latina shrieked before shoving the older girl to the ground, whose head hit the ground with a sickening crack. The British girl's whimper of pain seemed to snap Santana out of her trance and she spun around to find the other girl removing a blood-covered hand from the back of her head. "Shit, Mia, I'm so sorry. I—I—I didn't mean to." She tried helping the wavy-haired brunette stand up but her hands were slapped away.

"B, why don't you take Santana home?" Quinn murmured before helping the fallen girl up and walking her back into the hotel room.

"San, what have you done?" Brittany questioned softly as they walked back to the car, watching the Latina struggle to keep her tears at bay. The blue-eyed girl gently ushered her into the passenger seat and started driving them back to her house. During the drive, Santana barely made a sound, causing the taller girl glance at her worriedly every so often. When they finally returned to the blonde's house and made their way up to her bedroom, the dark-eyed girl finally released a sob.

"Brit-Brit," the raven-haired girl whispered brokenly, collapsing into her best friend's embrace. Brittany gazed at the distraught girl sadly, wrapping her arms tightly around her friend and trying to tell her that things were going to be okay.

Meanwhile, inside the hotel room, Quinn walked Hermione to the bathroom, cursing the temperamental Latina under her breath.

"Quinn, is Herms ok?" A little blonde girl asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, Stace. I just fell walking up the steps. Go back to bed, we'll be out in a second," Hermione told her soothingly.

"What do you need?" The hazel-eyed girl questioned as she situated the girl on the counter.

"Can you just grab the beaded back out of my messenger bag?" The younger girl nodded and disappeared for a few moments before returning the bag.

"Do you need your wand or…?"

"No, I think I just need to take something. Do you see a small purple bottle in there? That should heal any damage after a few minutes."

"Um, yeah, here you go. How are you remaining so calm right now?" Quinn inquired, watching the older girl swallow the potion with a grimace.

"Well, I've had worse. Part of me is actually seething on the inside and wondering how she can be so bloody careless."

"She was just temporarily blinded by her rage," the former head cheerleader offered with a shrug. "I may not be her biggest fan right now, but I know she'd rather kill herself than ever hurt you. If I know Santana, she's probably beating herself up right now."

"I know. I've just had issues in the past with people taking their anger and fear out on me and I'm sick and tired of just standing by and taking it. I'm worth more than that," the British girl spoke up tiredly.

"I know you are, and I also know that I'm guilty of taking out my fear on you once upon a time. I think one of the reasons Santana and I fight so much is because we're really quite similar. We both have a lot of insecurities and we're terrified of losing our popularity. That was really all we cared about until this year," the younger girl stated with a small smile.

"What happened?"

"You entered our lives and turned our entire world upside down," Quinn answered with a chuckle. "I may have come to terms with myself sooner than Santana, but she has a lot more to lose than I do. I finally have a family who loves and supports me unconditionally," she spoke fondly, thinking of the Jones family. "Santana, on the other hand, is uncertain of her family's reactions if she were to tell them that she had fallen in love with a girl. She may not show it, but family really is everything to her."

"You do have a point…" Hermione acknowledged slowly. "I wasn't aware you knew Santana that well."

"We were pretty close freshman and sophomore year. I mean, sure we fought over crazy little things, but we always had each other's back."

"Is it my fault you guys aren't as close anymore?" The wavy-haired brunette inquired with a frown.

"No, well not entirely," the blonde smirked. "We kind of lost touch over the summer. I was so torn up about giving up Beth and she was dealing with her own insecurities, which drove her into thinking a boob job was a good idea." Hermione 's frown deepened. "Plus, we've always been competitive. You were just a much better incentive than being captain of the Cheerios," Quinn murmured with a wink.

"Oi!" The former prefect shrieked, hitting the younger girl on the arm as they walked to the door. "I'm not sure if I should be flattered or…"

"Definitely be flattered."

"Quinn Fabray, what am I going to do with you?" The taller girl asked with a shake of her head as she opened the door to let the blonde out.

"I can think of a few things!"

"Get out of here, Q! And you better text me when you get home!" The brown-eyed girl yelled back, laughing when Quinn aimed a mock salute at her.

The next day, the raven-haired singer shuffled into the choir room looking miserable and sat down in the seat furthest away from everyone else. As soon as Will walked in, he frowned at the visible tension surrounding the room.

"Um, does anyone have a performance prepared for today?" Hermione stood up, grabbed a guitar, and sat on a wooden stool in the center of the room. "Ok, Mia, whenever you're ready." The British girl sighed and began strumming before opening her mouth to sing.

"**Listen to the wind blow,  
>Watch the sun rise,<br>Run in the shadows,****  
><strong>**Damn your love, damn your lies.**"

After Hermione sang the first verse, she glanced briefly at Santana before moving into the chorus. Her eyes only leaving the Latina's when she found it difficult to keep her tears at bay.

"**And if you don't love me now,****  
><strong>**You will never love me again.****  
><strong>**I can still hear you saying,  
>You would never break the chain.<strong>**  
><strong>**And if you don't love me now,****  
><strong>**You will never love me again.****  
><strong>**I can still hear you saying,  
>You would never break the chain.<strong>

"**Listen to the wind blow,  
>Down comes the night.<strong>**  
><strong>**Run in the shadows,****  
><strong>**Damn your love, damn your lies.  
>Break the silence,<strong>**  
><strong>**Damn the dark, damn the light.**

"**And if you don't love me now,****  
><strong>**You will never love me again.****  
><strong>**I can still hear you saying,  
>You would never break the chain.<strong>**  
><strong>**And if you don't love me now,****  
><strong>**You will never love me again.****  
><strong>**I can still hear you saying ,  
>You would never break the chain.<strong>**  
><strong>**And if you don't love me now,****  
><strong>**You will never love me again.****  
><strong>**I can still hear you saying,  
>You would never break the chain.<strong>

"**Chain...keep us together****,  
><strong>**Run into the shadows.****  
><strong>**Chain...keep us together,****  
>R<strong>**un into the shadows.****  
><strong>**Chain...keep us together,****  
><strong>**Run into the shadows.**"

When she finished the song, she set the guitar down and silently exited the room, unaware of the tears trickling down the Latina's face.

"Um, what was that all about?" The choir director questioned his remaining students.

"Don't worry about it, Mr. Schue, it'll work itself out," Brittany told him, wrapping an arm around her distraught friend.

"If you say so…" The hazel-eyed man murmured. "I'm still gonna go check on Mia. You guys feel free to hang out here though."

"Santana, what did you do?" Rachel asked spinning around to glare at the girl, faltering slightly at the look of utter despair on her face. "Erm, why don't we give Santana and Brittany the room, guys?" The rest of the New Directions quickly rushed out of the room, but not before Quinn said one last thing.

"Fix this, Lopez."

"Q's right, Sanny. You do need to fix this. I hate seeing you both so sad," the blonde dancer muttered, a deep frown evident on her face.

"How am I supposed to fix this, B? I seriously fucked up this time!" The raven-haired girl cried out before she began pacing around the choir room.

"Remember when you were terrified after Hermione's car accident?" The shorter girl nodded slowly. "And remember what Hermy did to get you back?"

"Yeah, of course, she sang _Your Song_ to me. Oh! Brit-Brit, you're a genius! I'm sure there's a perfect song on that _Rumours_ album too!"

"Well, looks like we've got some work to do," Brittany spoke up happily. "'Operation: Get Hermy to Forgive Sanny for being a Dumbass' is a go!"

A few days later, Santana approached the British girl in the hallway, wringing her hands nervously.

"Hey, can we talk?" She asked the older girl quietly. "Well, actually, I want to sing something to you." Hermione rolled her eyes but nodded and followed the other girl into the choir room. "I went through that album and I found the best song to express my feelings for you. I know I've been such a bitch to you lately and you don't know how sorry I am about that. I guess I didn't see how stupid I was being until the other night when I—I hurt you," the raven-haired girl cried out. "Just listen to the song, ok?" The wavy-haired brunette motioned for her to begin, so Santana took a deep breath and signaled for Brad to start playing the piano.

"_For you, there'll be no more crying,__  
><em>_For you, the sun will be shining,__  
><em>_And I feel that when I'm with you,__  
><em>_It's alright, I know it's right._

"_To you, I'll give the world__  
><em>_to you, I'll never be cold__  
><em>_'Cause I feel that when I'm with you,__  
><em>_It's alright, I know it's right._

"_And the songbirds are singing,__  
><em>_Like they know the score,__  
><em>_And I love you, I love you, I love you,__  
><em>_Like never before._

"_And I wish you all the love in the world,__  
><em>_But most of all, I wish it from myself._

"_And the songbirds keep singing,__  
><em>_Like they know the score,__  
><em>_And I love you, I love you, I love you,__  
><em>_Like never before, like never before,__  
><em>_Like never before._"

As she finished singing, the girls locked watery gazes before Hermione stood up and placed her hand on the shorter girl's shoulder.

"That was really beautiful, San."

"I meant every word. I'm really going to try and work on myself so I can be the girl that you deserve. I, uh, even started meeting with Miss Pillsbury to work on my anger issues. I never meant to hurt you," the Latina choked out, refusing to look the other girl in the eyes.

"I know, love, I know," the British girl replied soothingly. "Don't worry about it, ok? I fixed it up perfectly with a bit of magic once I got back into the hotel room."

"I'll never hurt you again. I promise you that. I finally understand why you wanted to take this break. Hiding our relationship isn't fair to either of us and I want to be confident enough to walk up to you in the hallway and kiss you in front of everybody. I'm not going to bother you about whatever's going on with you and Quinn and I'm not going to lash out irrationally at you anymore. I just—" She was cut off by a pair of lips crashing down onto hers.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist," Hermione mumbled sheepishly a few moments later. "I just caught a glimpse of the girl I fell in love with."

"Well, I'm certainly not complaining," Santana responded with a blush. "No more of that though, ok? Not until I can fully embrace the gay."

"I am so proud of you, Santana Lopez," the British girl told her sincerely as she wrapped her arms around the younger girl.

"Really?" The raven-haired girl questioned vulnerably, pulling away from the young witch.

"Really, really," the older girl responded with a bright smile, linking arms with the Latina and leading her out of the choir room.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Songs were "The Chain" and "Songbird" and are both by Fleetwood Mac (one of my all time favorite bands, in case you were wondering).**

**P.S. Quinntana is my OTP of all OTPs. How awesome was that Valentine's Day episode? I'm still on a high from it! (Or maybe that's just from the meds I've been taking...)**


	44. Chapter 44

**A/N: *waves meekly* Hey, guys, I apologize for the long wait, but between being sick, starting a new full time job, and my grandma being in the hospital, my energy level has been completely zapped. I was actually set to post this chapter over the weekend, but our internet got shut off because my roommate failed to pay a balance she owed from January... *facepalm***

**Anyway! This chapter isn't as long as the previous two or so because I didn't want to keep y'all waiting any longer. As always, thank you so much for the feedback, it truly means a lot to me. **

**unexpected sabotage: Pretty sure I'm still on a high from the Quinntana in that episode... And thank you again for taking the time to review! **

**Keira-House M.D: Thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy the story :)**

**Kayluh Guy: Thanks! Sorry again for the long wait! **

**TobiasFangor92: I was torn between Santana/Hermione and Quinn/Hermione for the longest time, so I feel your pain! Erm, Mia is just a nickname Schue has for her and Santana kind of picked up on it and started calling her it too. I dunno what made me decide that haha. My friends/family all call me different things, so I guess I used that 'life experience'? :P Thanks again for the review!**

**Kayluh: Thank you! Sorry for keeping you waiting!**

**kitty pie: Here you go! I'm terribly sorry for not updating sooner!**

**nikyta: Thank you so much :)**

**ScOut4It: WOW. I don't even know where to begin... First off, thank you so, so, so much for all of your reviews. I came home from a crappy day of work the other week and saw all of your reviews and my mood was instantly lifted. I thoroughly enjoyed all of your in depth comments and they really gave me a lot to think about. Secondly, I really liked your idea of writing a companion story where Quinn gets the girl! If I have enough time, who knows, I may take a crack at it! I hope you continue to enjoy the story! Feel free to offer any other feedback! :)**

**Michelle: Thanks :) I hope you like this chapter!**

**Jackson Louis: Sorry! Here's an update, please don't die!**

**Whew! Lots of apologies there. Enough of my rambling though, how bout we get onto the story, eh?**

**Enjoy! **

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 44~ <strong>

Later that day, Hermione was walking down the hallway when she saw Kurt wave her over to his locker.

"Hey, love, what's up?"

"Are you heading to the motel tonight?" The well-dressed boy asked her quietly.

"Yeah, I was planning on it, why?"

"I think Sam actually has a night off for once, so I thought one of us could stay with Stevie and Stacy while the other takes Sam out to have some fun for once."

"That's brilliant, Kurt!" The wavy-haired brunette replied excitedly. "I can stay with the kids if you want while you take Sam out."

"Excellent. Blaine and I were going to a Reds game tonight and Blaine had an extra ticket and when I mentioned a little bit about Sam's situation, Blaine said to go on and invite him if he was free. Do you think he'd like that?"

"Of course he would! He loves baseball."

"Well, that makes one of us," chuckled Kurt. "I'm only going because Blaine looks absolutely adorable in his Reds jersey and hat."

"Why am I not surprised?" Hermione smirked with a playful roll of her eyes. "Sam will love that though."

"Fabulous! Where is that elusive blonde football player anyway?"

"Stop it," Rachel demanded, from behind Hermione and Kurt.

"Stop what?" The British girl inquired with a puzzled expression on her face. "When did she get here anyway?" She murmured to the blue-eyed boy, who merely responded with a shrug.

"Not you. Well, actually I guess I could include you too. I know you and Santana are on a break and I know Quinn is really rather pretty, but what do you think you're doing sneaking around at sketchy motels with her?" The British girl and the brown-haired boy simultaneously raised an eyebrow before Rachel addressed the boy. "Kurt, I am begging you. Sam is cute, but he is not worth losing Blaine over," the tiny diva spoke hurriedly as Hermione scoffed.

"What are you talking about?" Kurt asked monotonously.

"He's wearing your jacket, Kurt. I remember that jacket. You wore it April of last year. You said it was your Earth Day jacket because it was made of recycled hemp." Hermione and Kurt locked eyes and slightly tilted their heads. "I know how these things work. Whenever Finn leaves his letterman jacket at my house, I'll wear it to school the next day."

"Oi, enough. Have you been paying attention to this week's lesson at all?" Hermione asked wearily, running a hand through her hair.

"When Fleetwood Mac wrote _Rumours_, they weren't speaking to each other. Not even 'pass the non-dairy creamer'. They only spoke about the music and it was that focus that allowed them to make their masterpiece," Kurt informed the diva calmly.

"You're deflecting!" Rachel snapped, stomping her foot angrily on the ground.

"No, I'm being a team player as is Hermione."

"Rach, every single moment that is wasted on this silly gossip is just taking away from the time we could be spending on preparing for Nationals," the wavy-haired brunette pointed out reasonably before she and Kurt turned around and walked away.

The next afternoon, Hermione walked into the choir room and was met with several confused, angry, and upset stares.

"Um, hey, guys, what's going on?"

"Is it true?" Quinn asked quietly looking up from The Muckraker that Mercedes was holding.

"Is what true?" The British girl questioned slowly.

"Is Our Favorite British Girl Returning to Her Homeland and Never Coming Back?" Rachel read from over the African American's shoulder before promptly glaring at the older girl.

"What? Look, it's just a bloody rumor, ok?"

"You're lying," Santana finally spoke up, hurt evident in her eyes. "And I'm not just saying that to start more drama. I can see it in your eyes."

"I—I—um, well, it's partially true, I guess," Hermione murmured, refusing to meet any of her friends' gazes. "Harry asked me if I wanted to come back over the summer and I said yes. As for coming back next year, I'm not sure yet. I love you guys, but there are things I have to deal with back in London. Plus, I really miss my friends from back home. Look, I don't know what I'm going to do yet, but don't let that bring you down. We've got Nationals to win."

"Hermione, may I please speak with you outside?" The Latina inquired as she walked up to the wavy-haired brunette and grabbed her hand.

"Yeah, of course, San," the young witch sighed as she allowed herself to be led out into the hallway. As soon as the two girls disappeared, the remaining members of the New Directions began talking quietly.

"I think Santana is going to tear her a new one," Artie stated bluntly as Brittany hit him upside the head.

"Art, be nice. S won't hurt Hermy, she loves her too much. I think she's just going to ask her what's going on since she could see that this is tearing Hermy apart when the rest of us can't."

"Brit's right, you guys. Get back to minding your own business, alright?" Puck said as he briefly glanced to the door, silently praying that the former Cheerio would convince the British girl to stay.

* * *

><p>"Mia, what's going on? I can see how miserable you are," Santana spoke softly as she released the older girl's hand once they were seated safely on the stage in the auditorium.<p>

"I just feel guilty about so many things right now," Hermione whimpered, avoiding the concerned looks the raven-haired girl was throwing at her.

"Like what, princesa?" Hermione smiled slightly at the term of endearment before taking a deep breath.

"I feel guilty because I left London in such a hurry that I didn't even have a proper service for my parents. I feel guilty for leaving my friends when there are still Death Eaters to be found. I feel guilty because the last thing I want to do is hurt you all after you've done so much for me. I feel guilty for wanting to stay here and also wanting to return home. I feel guilty for making us take a break. I feel gu—"

"Stop right there, ok? First off, taking a break was the best thing for us if we want to work out in the long run. I didn't see that at first, but I do now. Secondly, everyone understands why you left London so quickly and they don't blame you for wanting to get away from the wizarding world for a while. Thirdly, it may take some time, but we'll understand if you want to go back to London as long as you promise to keep in touch and maybe even come back to visit, alright? We all love you, princesa, and we only want you to do whatever makes you happy," the Latina finished as a tear slid down her face.

"There's the girl I fell in love with," the British girl murmured as she gave the girl a watery smile.

"Come here, you," the former cheerleader ordered as she pulled the taller girl towards her and embraced her. Hermione immediately relaxed at the feel of the other girl's arms surrounding her and returned the hug, murmuring something into the raven-haired girl's neck. "What was that?" Santana questioned with a playful smile.

"You make me feel so safe," the Gryffindor repeated, a blush appearing on her cheeks.

"No need to be embarrassed, mi amor. I wouldn't want you to feel any other way," Santana responded happily, a large grin evident on her face, as she tightened her hold on the other girl.

A few days had passed and the New Directions were watching Rachel perform _Go Your Own Way_. As she was singing, the diva kept staring at Sam, Quinn, Hermione, and Kurt. When she finished, the room was silent until the former head Cheerio spoke up.

"Um, are you trying to tell us to leave glee club or tell Kurt to break up with Blaine? Ooh, or are you actually in love with one of us and trying to break up with Finn through song?" The hazel-eyed girl taunted as Sam, Hermione, and Kurt began snickering behind their hands.

"You're such a hypocrite! You little miss perfect prom queen, you're trying to drive a wedge between such a lovely couple by luring Hermione into your clutches!"

"Whoa, Rach, calm down," the wavy-haired brunette interjected before things got out of hand.

"And you're no better! How dare you go off to cheap motels to do god knows what with her! I guess those rumors about your reputation are true," the diva shrieked.

"Shut it, hobbit. There's nothing going on between Hermione and Quinn. I believe her and so should you," Santana spat as she shot out of her seat, only to be held back by Mike and Tina.

"Whatever. I blame Sam for all of this. He was spotted at the same motel with Kurt one night and Quinn and Hermione on another night. He's clearly trying to get more people involved in his scandalous ways."

"Are you even listening to yourself right now?" Hermione sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Well, Rachel does have a point, why hasn't Sam said anything about this?" Artie questioned as everyone's eyes fell on the blonde boy.

"Yeah, seriously, man. What you're doing is not cool. Kurt has a boyfriend, Hermione's gay, and Quinn's well, Quinn's a member of the celibacy club."

"Will you all shut up? Look, there is nothing going on between me and Kurt or Quinn and Hermione or Quinn, Hermione, and me. They're just helping me!" Sam called out defensively.

"Oh, is that what they're calling it now?" Mercedes said with a roll of her eyes.

"Hold on. How are they helping you out then?" Mike questioned as everyone looked at the blonde now shifting uncomfortably in his chair. The room fell silent as everyone eagerly awaited Sam's answer. Hermione wrapped her arms around the younger boy and whispered something into his ear.

"Kurt was bringing me some clothes, Quinn and Herms were helping me babysit my little brother and sister, and Herms was also helping me and my siblings with our school work along with doing a lot of other stuff to help us out," the blonde football player finally answered with a forlorn expression.

"Then why were you in that motel?" Finn immediately inquired.

"Because that's where I live now! My dad lost his job a few months ago and then we lost our house and now we live in that motel in one room. Are you all happy now? The truth's finally out!" Sam cried out angrily before storming out of the choir room.

"Sammy, wait!" Hermione shouted as she hurried towards the door. "Well done, guys," The British girl spat over her shoulder as she ran after the boy.

"You guys had no right to push any of us like that, especially Sam," Quinn declared while glaring at the majority of her fellow teammates before she and Kurt exited the room together.

"Why isn't Mr. Schue ever here to help deal with all of this shit?" Santana grumbled to Brittany who nodded her head in agreement.

"Should we go after them, Sanny?"

"Nah, not this time, Brit. I'm sure Hermione will call or text us if she needs our help with anything though, ok?"

"Alrighty. Do we have to stay in here or can we leave? I'm worried Lord Tubbington has figured out how to use the can opener and I don't want him ruining his diet…"

* * *

><p>Hermione frantically searched the school for her friend and breathed a sigh of relief when she found him lurking around in the auditorium.<p>

"There you are."

"Oh, hey, Herms," the blonde called out softly, trying to maintain his composure before sitting down.

"You doing ok?" The wavy-haired brunette questioned as she sat next to him on the edge of the stage.

"Not really," he answered. "I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to stay in glee. I could try to get more hours at work and spend more time with my siblings, but—"

"You can't quit glee, Sammy. You need the music. I of all people know what a saving grace music can be. I'm glad you chose to come here though because I have something I want to show you." Hermione stood up quickly and dragged the football player over to the curtain. "Ok, now wait here and close your eyes." The boy did as he was told as he heard the girl bringing something over to him. "And open them!" Sam opened his eyes and his heart melted for the girl in front of him as he took in the sight of his old guitar.

"Herms…"

"I know you sold it for some extra cash, but I tracked down the guy you sold it to and bought it back."

"You don't know how much I wish I was a girl right now because I would totally ask you out," he laughed as he wiped away a few tears.

"Sammy, no matter what happens, promise me you won't give up on music. You are far too gifted to silence your talent."

"You're the best friend I could ever ask for," the blonde muttered as he wrapped his arms around the older girl and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. "Love you, Herms."

"Love you too, Sammy. Now, I have an idea about a group number we could do and we could even include Stacy and Stevie," the British girl beamed as she grabbed another guitar. Sam chuckled, grabbed his guitar, and joined the brown-eyed girl as they played his favorite Fleetwood Mac song.

The next afternoon, Will walked in the choir room only to find his students reading The Muckraker yet again.

"Mr. Schue, is this true?" Mercedes asked him, fearful of his answer.

"Yeah, The Muckraker says you're bailing on us to do April Rhodes' big show. God, what it with this family and abandoning us!" Puck called out furiously.

"Guys, if there's anything that we have we learned from this week's assignment, it's that you can't believe every rumor that you hear," the choir director informed them.

"But isn't it your dream to be on Broadway?" Tina questioned with a gasp.

"I have a lot of dreams. My top one being taking you guys to Nationals."

"So you're going to stay?" Rachel questioned slowly.

"We are going to Nationals together and we are going to win."

"What about Hermione? Is she leaving after this year?" Quinn murmured quietly.

"Mia, has a lot on her plate right now and as much as it pains me to say, I'm not going to stop her if she wants to go back to London at the end of this year. I know she is going to be by our side at Nationals, but after that, I don't know." Before anyone could reply, a group of people entered the choir room.

"Hey, guys," Hermione smiled, holding a giggling Stacy in her arms.

"I hope you don't mind that I brought my brother and sister with us today, but Herms and I have been working on a performance that we thought would cheer them up," Sam informed them as he put Stevie on his shoulders. "So to the auditorium we go!" He called out goofily before charging towards the auditorium.

"Come on, you lot. Why the long faces? I guarantee _Don't Stop_ will help bring us all back together again and I'm sure you all know it, so I expect you to join in," the brown-eyed girl grinned as she beckoned her friends to come forward. No one stirred from his or her seat until Santana finally walked towards the older girl. "Why thank you, Lopez, and can I say that you are by far the only person I know who can pull off overalls that successfully," she told her with a wink, causing the Latina to blush. "Oh! Stacy, this is Santana. And Santana this lovely little girl is Stacy."

"Hi," the young blonde girl said shyly. "You're really pretty."

"Thank you, so are you," the raven-haired girl responded with a grin before putting her arm around Hermione and leading them to the auditorium, the rest of the New Directions following behind them.

"You know, Herms talks about you all the time," Stacy told the Latina with a serious nod of her head.

"Oh, does she now?" The former cheerleader questioned with a wicked smile directed at the British girl, who was staring at the young blonde with wide eyes.

"Oh, yeah, she said that you were the prettiest girl she ever saw and that when you sing, she gets butterflies every time. She also said that when you smile..."

"Alright, Stace, that's enough!" Hermione called out, now having turned a dark shade of red.

"Stacy, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," Santana chuckled as they entered the auditorium.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: So in my absence, I've actually though a lot about the sequel and I think (well, I hope) you guys are going to like what I have in mind for it! **


	45. Chapters 45 & 46

**A/N: I cannot begin to apologize for how long it has taken me to update. I sort of lost my muse there for a while, but I'm back for the time being! **

**Special shoutouts to all those who've favorited/followed me and more importantly this story recently (and overall). Y'all got my ass in gear again!**

**Anywho...to make up for my absence, this isn't just one chapter, but two! Am I forgiven? :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Chapter 45~<strong>

"I just don't see what the big deal about prom is," Hermione stated exasperatedly as she walked into the choir room between Brittany and Santana.

"Didn't you have any dances at your old school?" The blonde dancer asked with a tilt of her head.

"Well, we had one my fourth year to help foster international friendships, but it ended up in my being caught in the middle of a Bulgarian guy and a French girl who were both vying for my affections," the older girl trailed off with a wince.

"Those fuckers," grumbled Santana quietly as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Anyway…" the young witch went on, giving the Latina a bemused look. "I just don't care for the hustle and bustle around finding a dress for a silly little dance."

"Um, prom is like our Oscars, Mia. It's seriously like the most important night of our lives," Santana informed the British girl as the three sat down in the front row.

"Um, what about getting married…?" The wavy-haired brunette questioned with a puzzled expression.

"Oh, you can get married as many times as you want, but you only have one shot at your junior prom," Quinn stated matter-of-factly, settling into a seat behind them.

"Well, you can't get married as many times as you'd like in my world," Hermione stated pointedly causing the raven-haired girl to gaze at her fondly. Her trance finally broken when the former head Cheerio kicked the back of her chair.

"What are you guys talking about?" Mercedes asked as she walked into the room.

"Just these three trying to convince me to go to prom," the brown-eyed girl informed her with a playful roll of her eyes.

"Oh, you're not going either?" The African American girl responded before sitting down next to Quinn and in front of Sam.

"What, why the hell aren't you going?" Kurt gasped, leaning forward to talk to her.

"'Cause nobody's asked me…" she trailed off. Hermione glanced back at Sam who looked at the girl in front of him with sad eyes.

"Alright, guys," Mr. Schue addressed his students when he finally arrived, writing 'prom' on the white board.

"Please tell me we're not doing songs about prom," Sam groaned, burying his head in his hands.

"Nope, we are the prom. Figgins has asked us to perform," the curly-haired man told them with a smile.

"Let's do _Run, Joey, Run_!" Rachel cried out excitedly, bouncing up and down in her seat. Hermione turned to Santana, an inquisitive look on her face.

"Don't ask," the Latina murmured with a chuckle, shaking her head.

"Now, I know this isn't ideal with Nationals coming up, but we really don't have a choice. I know that prom is a special rite of passage and I'm gonna make sure you guys get to enjoy the dance too, so we're gonna stagger the performances, so that each and every one of you gets a lot of time to dance with your dates."

"Excuse me," Mercedes muttered before hurrying out of the choir room.

"Is she ok?" The hazel-eyed man questioned worriedly.

"Mercedes doesn't have a date for prom. I mean, I don't either, but it's really upsetting her," Puck pointed out with a small frown.

"I'll try to get her to come around. I know someone wants to ask her, but he's too chicken. Never fear though, I've got this covered. Oh, I don't have a date either, so all of us going stag should do something beforehand," Hermione suggested with a shrug before hurrying after Mercedes, unaware of Quinn and Santana glaring at each other once again.

"Hey, love," the British girl spoke as she approached the girl at her locker.

"Oh, hey, girl," Mercedes responded with a sad smile.

"Look, I don't have a date either," Hermione informed her as the other girl nodded stiffly before opening her mouth to speak.

"I know I talk a big game about not needing a man and I don't. I just really wanted to take a date to the prom. I want the dress and the guy and the damn corsage," the younger girl murmured dejectedly.

"I know someone who wants to ask you."

"Look, Hermione, I know I'm hot and all that, and you are charming as hell, but I don't swing that way," Mercedes responded with a small smirk.

"Well, I wasn't talking about me, but I would be proud to have you on my arm," Hermione told her with a genuine smile.

"See? There's that charm everybody talks about."

"Just have a little bit of faith, ok, love? I promise you by the end of tomorrow, you will have a date for prom. He just needs to stop being so shy around you first. He's fancied you for quite a while."

"You're actually serious? There is a guy who wants to ask me to prom?"

"Would I lie to you?" The wavy-haired brunette questioned with a raised eyebrow. Mercedes shook her head, grinning slightly.

"Thanks, girl. You know, I hope Santana gets her shit together because she'd be crazy to lose you," the shorter girl muttered as she hugged the older girl.

"I'll have to let her know that," laughed the young witch as she escorted Mercedes down the hallway.

Several hours later, Hermione saw a familiar head of blonde hair and rushed over to him. She slammed his locker shut, causing him to jump and spin around quickly.

"Jesus, Herms, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Sam managed to speak while trying to calm down his racing heart.

"Come with me. Now," she ordered before walking to the library. As soon as they sat down, the football player glanced at her fearfully. "Samuel Evans, why haven't you asked Mercedes to prom yet? I see you staring at her like a love sick puppy every day in glee, so why haven't you asked her?"

"I'm afraid she'll say no. Besides, I can't afford it anyway."

"That's where you're wrong." Hermione reached into her bag and grabbed several twenty dollar bills. "Here."

"Herms, I'm not taking that money."

"Yes, you are. Consider it as a belated birthday present and a gift for all the times you've helped me," she told him with a smile, sliding the bills over to him.

"Herms…"

"Please, Sam? You've dealt with so much over the past couple of weeks and you deserve to have one carefree night with the girl you're so obviously mad about. Please?"

"Alright, alright, stop twisting my arm!" The boy finally relented with a large grin causing Hermione to shoot out of her seat into his arms.

"Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now, you just need an awesome prom proposal," the brown-eyed girl mused aloud.

"Well, I did have something in mind," the blonde boy muttered sheepishly.

"Brilliant! Do you need any help?" Hermione inquired with a wicked grin before Sam nodded and the two set to work on the blonde's idea.

The next day, Mercedes sat in Home Economics barely paying attention to the teacher when Sam entered the classroom with his guitar quickly joined by Hermione who had a pair of drumsticks. Before the teacher could throw them out, Sam began strumming his guitar and opened his mouth to sing as Hermione began tapping on various pots and pans.

"_A fish was made to swim in the ocean,  
>A boat was made to sail on the sea.<br>As sure as there are stars above,  
>I know, I know you were made for me,<br>You were made for me.  
>A grape was made to grow on a vine,<br>An apple was made to grow on a tree.  
>As sure as there are stars above,<br>I know, I know you were made for me._"

As soon as Sam finished the first verse, he began walking towards Mercedes and stopped in front of her before he sang the next verse.

"_We'll have our quarrels and you will upset me,  
>But what can I do?<br>You've been mine ever since I met you and I'll never leave you.  
>No, I'll never leave you.<br>As sure as there's a heaven up above me,  
>From you I know I'll never be free.<br>As sure as there are stars above,  
>I know, I know you were made for me.<em>"

At this point in the song, Mercedes was smiling shyly at the blonde boy.

"**A fish was made to swim in the ocean,**  
><em>A fish was made to swim in the ocean.<em>  
><strong>A boat was made to sail on the sea,<strong>  
><em>A boat was made to sail on the sea.<br>As sure as there are stars above,  
>I know, I know you were made for me.<em>  
><strong>You were made for me,<br>**_You were made for me._  
><strong>A grape was made to grow on a vine,<br>**_A grape was made to grow on a vine.__**  
><strong>_**An apple, an apple was made to grow on a tree,**  
><em>An apple, an apple was made to grow on a tree.<br>As sure as there are stars above,  
>I know, I know you were made for me.<em>

"_We'll have our quarrels and you will upset me,  
>But what can I do?<em> **  
>Baby, what can I do?<strong>  
><em>You've been mine ever since I met you and I'll never,<em>_  
>Never leave you.<em>

"_As sure as there's a heaven up above me,  
>From you I know I'll never be free.<br>As sure as there are stars above,  
>I know, I know you were made for me.<em>"

As soon as the song was finished, Hermione pocketed her drumsticks before grabbing the guitar out of Sam's hands and walking over to stand next to a giddy Kurt.

"Mercedes Jones, I apologize for taking this long to do this, but would you do me the honor of coming to prom with me?" The blonde boy asked with a nervous grin.

"I'd love to, Sam," Mercedes told him happily. "That was the sweetest thing anybody's ever done for me."

"Yeah, well, you deserve all that and more," he murmured to her before wrapping his arms around her.

"As touching as this is, I have a class to teach, so the two musicians here need to leave," the teacher stated monotonously.

"Oi, Sammy, we better get outta here before she uses all this kitchen equipment to cause some serious injuries," the British girl cried out over-dramatically earning several giggles from a group of girls sitting close to her.

"Yeah, of course, Herms. Let's get outta here before they resort to cannibalism and decide to eat such talented people," Sam agreed playfully before quickly kissing Mercedes on the cheek and hurrying out of the room.

A few minutes later, Hermione and Sam found themselves laughing heartily in the choir room.

"That was amazing!" The blonde boy exclaimed with a triumphant fist pump. "I can't believe she said yes!"

"Aw, Sammy, did you really think she was going to say no after that performance? It was incredibly sweet and you know it. You two are going to make such a darling couple!" The wavy-haired brunette squealed uncharacteristically.

"Oh hush," Sam responded, turning a light shade of pink. "Are you really going to prom alone?"

"Well, not alone per se. I'm going with Kurt, Blaine, Puck, Quinn, and Santana."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? Don't you think Quinn and Satan might try to kill each other?" Sam snickered as he started playing an unknown melody.

"Don't call her that," she said with a glare directed at the boy. "But, deep down - deep, deep, deep down - they are really good friends and I ruined that. I want them to get some sort of friendship back if that's possible," Hermione informed him with a crooked grin.

"Well, good luck with that. By the way, how many people did you turn down?" He questioned with a smirk.

"What makes you think anybody even asked me?" The football player gave her an incredulous look. "Ok, um, quite a few people asked me and I didn't even know a lot of them, but I didn't want to give anyone the wrong idea, so I said no."

"You just don't want to upset Santana," he pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, you're probably right there. I still love the girl and I can't wait until this ridiculous break is over. And before you say anything, yes, I know I was the one who suggested the bloody thing in the first place!" She called out, throwing her arms up in the air causing the younger boy to snicker.

"Ah, young love," Sam sighed wistfully, ducking as paper ball was hurled at his head.

A few hours later, Hermione found herself fidgeting at the dress shop Kurt and the girls had dragged her to.

"I hate you all," she mumbled angrily as Kurt and Mercedes began handing her several dresses to try on.

"Oh, shut up. You love us, now go try on those dresses while Santana is busy fighting with that employee," the blue-eyed boy ordered before shoving the British girl into the fitting room. Several minutes and a dozen dresses later, Kurt and Mercedes had selected the perfect dress for their less than amused friend. After they handed the dress over to one of the shop's workers, the two divas turned back towards the older girl.

"About bloody time," Hermione grumbled, while collapsing onto the nearest sofa. "Can we please leave now?"

"Nope," Mercedes smirked wickedly. "Now, we need to find shoes!" The British girl groaned and began banging her head into the back of the couch as her friends skipped over to the shoe section.

"Uh, Mia, what are you doing?" An amused voice called out, sitting down next to her.

"Just kill me now, San," the wavy-haired brunette sighed dramatically as she leaned against the Latina.

"Hmm, nope. I kinda want to have you around for a while," Santana replied playfully. "Is shopping with Porcelain and Wheezy really that awful? I mean, you've fought in a fucking war for Christ's sake!"

"Don't call them that. And yes. I love them both dearly, but there's only so much shopping I can take."

"Well, I'm sure it's nearly impossible to find a dress that is worthy of your beauty," the raven-haired girl murmured with a wink before walking over to Tina and Brittany.

"I swear that woman is going to be the death of me," Hermione grumbled to herself before reluctantly joining Kurt and Mercedes over by the shoes.

**~Chapter 46~**

A few nights later, Hermione flattened her dress out one more time and looked over herself in the mirror.

"Relax, Granger, this isn't going to end up like the Yule Ball," she mumbled to herself before taking a deep breath and timidly walking out of her room. She made her way into the kitchen in search of her uncle and cleared her throat.

"Oh, hey, Mia, what's u— Oh my god, you look gorgeous, sweetheart!" Will told her genuinely as he spun her around.

"You really think so?" The wavy-haired brunette questioned sheepishly.

"Of course, Mia! Now stop worrying, your friends are going to be here soon," he paused, hearing muffled voices in the hallway. "Actually it sounds like they just got here," he chuckled as the two walked towards the front door.

"Back off, Fabray, I'm going to ring the doorbell!"

"Oh, shut it, Satan. If you were going to ring the doorbell, you would have done it already!"

"Ladies, I highly doubt you even need to ring the doorbell now. I think you've woken up the entire building," came Kurt's shrill reply. Having had enough, Hermione swung open the door.

"I didn't know I was going to prom with a bunch of children," she interjected with an eye roll, putting her hands on her hips.

"Sorry about them," Blaine told her with a smile as he wrapped his arms around her. "You, my dear, look stunning."

"Why thank you, kind sir. You look rather dashing yourself. And Kurt, that's an interesting outfit, but it's very you. I love it," she beamed at the taller boy before embracing him.

"Thanks, darling. You look fabulous as always. I must say, whoever picked out your dress has great taste," he winked before grabbing Blaine's hand and moving to sit on the couch.

"Hey, Hermione, you look great," Quinn told her shyly, giving her a quick hug before turning to talk to Mr. Schue.

"Damn, baby girl, you are looking fine," whistled Puck while waggling his eyebrows before picking her up and spinning her around.

"Oi, Puckerman, keep it in your pants," chuckled the British girl before turning towards the door to greet the final person in the group. As Santana emerged from the hallway, Hermione's breath caught in her throat.

"Hey, princesa, you look…wow," the Latina managed to get out, not taking her eyes off the older girl.

"Th-thanks, San. You look absolutely breathtaking as usual," the Gryffindor responded with a blush as she wrapped her arms around the former Cheerio. The raven-haired girl smiled happily before she returned the taller girl's hug.

"So, we should really get going if we don't want to miss our reservations!" Quinn shrieked, bolting towards the door.

"Whoa, relax, Baby Mama, we've got time. The Stix ain't going anywhere," the boy with the mohawk told her with a smirk.

"Well, excuse me, for not wanting to miss out on one of the most important nights of my life," grumbled the blonde as she gave him the infamous Fabray glare.

"Quinn's right, guys," laughed the young witch, finally pulling away from Santana. "We really should get going."

"Fine, fine," relented Kurt as he stood up with his curly-haired boyfriend. "Let's blow this popsicle stand."

"Wait, guys, let me take a couple of pictures," Will told the kids as he hurried off to get his camera. Once he returned, he took a couple group pictures before demanding that Hermione and Santana let him take a picture of them.

"You know, I never really realized this before, but they are so beautiful together," the Warbler pointed out with a fond grin as Quinn huffed and crossed her arms angrily.

"Ok, guys, get outta here and enjoy dinner. I'll see you all at the dance!" The hazel-eyed man said excitedly.

"Oh, don't remind me," the British teen groaned playfully as she grabbed Santana and Puck's hands and pulled them out to the limo. The group fooled around and goofily sang along to the radio as they rode to BreadstiX. When they arrived, everyone quickly hopped out of the vehicle until only Santana and Hermione remained. The Latina climbed out of the limo and stuck out her hand. The wavy-haired brunette smiled shyly and allowed the other girl to help her out of the car.

"Who knew you were so chivalrous," Hermione teased as she linked arms with the former cheerleader.

"Yeah, well, you bring out that side of me," the younger girl replied with a wink. As they were about to enter the restaurant, the raven-haired girl stopped. "You really do look beautiful tonight. I mean, you always do, but you just make that dress look so damn amazing." The older girl ducked her head down bashfully before quickly pecking Santana on the cheek.

"C'mon, we better get inside." The two wandered over to their table where they were met with Blaine and Kurt gazing lovingly at each other, Puck propositioning a waitress, and Quinn glaring at their linked arms.

"About time you two showed up," Puck called out, while jokingly leering at the two of them. "I'm starving!"

"Sorry, Puckerman, I got distracted," Santana replied while winking at the British girl before sitting down. "But let's go ahead and order. You know how much I love my Stix!"

As the group sat waiting for their food, Hermione caught sight of familiar blonde hair and shot up.

"I'll be right back," she beamed. As she walked away, Santana let out a wistful sigh.

"Damn, Lopez, you've really got it bad, haven't you?" The football player snickered, earning a high five from Blaine.

"Hells yeah I do. I mean, have you seen her?" The Latina gazed at the wavy-haired brunette as she chatted animatedly to Sam, Mercedes, Rachel, and Finn.

"Well, too bad you screwed it up then," muttered Quinn under her breath.

"Excuse me? Don't make me go all Lima Heights on your ass, Tubbers!"

"Oh, please, you're so full of shit, Santana. Your dad is a doctor for Christ's sake!"

After Hermione excused herself to go back to her table, she noticed that the two former cheerleaders were bickering yet again.

"Bloody hell, will you two stop it?" She murmured with a frown. "I know you two don't get along as much anymore and I know that it's kind of my fault, but you guys were best friends once. Don't you miss that?" Quinn and Santana looked at each other briefly before turning their heads away in shame.

"Sorry, Mia. I'll try not to rile her up anymore tonight."

"Yeah, same," grumbled Quinn.

"Well, I must say this evening is turning out to be something special," deadpanned Kurt as he picked at his pasta.

"Oh, hush, you know you love the drama," teased the dark-haired Warbler.

"Oh, yeah, I really do, don't I?" The blue-eyed boy smirked causing the rest of the table to begin laughing hysterically.

When all of the New Directions and Blaine finally arrived at the gym, the dance was just beginning. Puck quickly told Sam to get up on the stage as he grabbed Artie.

"I'll be back shortly, ladies. Somebody's gotta get these losers dancing!" The Jewish boy called out over his shoulder as he wheeled Artie to the stage. As soon as the three boys were ready, they began their performance.

"And they really think they are going to do that with _Friday_?" Laughed Hermione as she began swaying back and forth.

"C'mon, Hermy, let's go dance!" Brittany yelled as she pulled the wavy-haired brunette onto the dance floor.

"Wow, I don't think I've ever seen Hermione dance like that," Blaine stated awestruck as he watched the two girls dance.

"Oh, yeah, she's amazing. You should've seen all the times she, Brittany, and Mike just let loose after school in the auditorium," Santana informed him with a proud smile. "She just doesn't like to show off in front of everyone, but I'm working on that," she chuckled good-naturedly. "Oh, great, there goes Rachel getting ready to perform some sappy love song."

"Hey, San, um, would you like to dance?" A familiar voice rang out from behind her as Rachel began to sing Shania Twain's _You're Still the One_.

"Um, I-uh-I—" The Latina began looking around frantically. "I can't, I'm sorry. I'd love to dance with you…just not in front of all these people."

"It's alright, love, I understand," Hermione responded with a sad smile before Kurt and Blaine swept her off to dance with them.

"Why won't you dance with Hermy, S? I did! She's a great dancer," the bubbly blonde said matter-of-factly.

"I know she is, but I'm just not ready for all the looks yet, Brit. You _know_ that," Santana responded with a frustrated sigh.

"No one would even care though! I mean everyone is crazy about her. She's hot and she talks funny, but it just makes her even hotter."

"Look, B, why don't you just go dance with Artie. I'm going to go get some of Sue's punch."

"Alright, Sanny, but she's not going to wait around forever, you know," Brittany told her seriously before going off in search of her boyfriend.

* * *

><p>"Cheer up, buttercup!" Kurt proclaimed as he and his Warbler pulled Hermione over to the stage before the three began dancing in a circle.<p>

"I think this is the gayest circle I've ever seen," giggled the British girl as she danced around with the boys. "I just wish Santana wasn't so afraid of being herself."

"We know you do, honey. Just give her time. It's obvious how much she loves you. She's just scared," Blaine pointed out reasonably.

"I know, I know. I just wish she'd let me help her," the former prefect commented with a frown.

"Ok, enough of that. This is prom! You need to enjoy yourself, sweetie!" Kurt cried out throwing his arms into the air. "Now get up on that stage and liven up this joint!" Hermione allowed herself to be shooed onto the stage as Rachel finished up her song.

"Good luck, Hermione!" Rachel grinned as she hugged her before hopping off the stage and into her boyfriend's arms. The girl summoned all of her Gryffindor courage and nodded to the band. As they began playing, the brown-eyed girl grabbed a microphone and started to sing.

"**I still hear your voice, when you sleep next to me.  
>I still feel your touch in my dreams.<br>Forgive me my weakness, but I don't know why.  
>Without you it's hard to survive.<strong>"

As she finished the first verse, the audience rushed up to the stage and began jumping up and down before singing along to the chorus causing Hermione to grin ecstatically.

"**Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling.  
>And every time we kiss I swear I could fly.<br>Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last.  
>Need you by my side.<br>Cause every time we touch, I feel this static.  
>And every time we kiss, I reach for the sky.<br>Can't you hear my heart beat so.  
>I can't let you go.<br>Want you in my life.**

"**Your arms are my castle, you heart is my sky.  
>They wipe away tears that I cry.<br>The good and the bad times, we been through them all.  
>You make me right when I fall.<strong>"

At this point, the wavy-haired brunette motioned for Tina and Mike to join her on stage. When they made their way to her, she handed Tina her microphone and whispered something to Mike. As the Asian girl began singing the chorus, Hermione and Mike started dancing around the stage causing the crowd to cheer even more enthusiastically.

"_Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling.  
>And every time we kiss I swear I could fly.<br>Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last.  
>Need you by my side.<br>Cause every time we touch, I feel this static.  
>And every time we kiss, I reach for the sky.<br>Can't you hear my heart beat so.  
>I can't let you go.<br>Want you in my life._"

"_**Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling.  
>And every time we kiss I swear I could fly.<br>Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last.  
>Need you by my side.<br>Cause every time we touch, I feel this static.  
>And every time we kiss, I reach for the sky.<br>Can't you hear my heart beat so.  
>I can't let you go.<br>Want you in my life.**_"

By the time they had finished the song, all three of had their arms around each other, large smiles evident on their faces.

"Blimey, talk about an adrenaline rush," exclaimed Hermione as she and Mike jumped off the stage, while Blaine and Brittany joined Tina for the next performance.

"I know, right? I feel like I could breathe fire!" The dancer agreed as they began dancing with each other once again.

"Um, excuse me, Hermione, may I have this dance?" Someone whispered into the British girl's ear.

"Oi, trying to give me a heart attack there, Q?" The older girl breathed out, putting a hand over her racing heart.

"Sorry," the hazel-eyed girl told her with a smile. "Would you like to dance though?"

"Don't you care what people will say?"

"Nah, not really. I figure I don't really have a lot to lose after the whole Lucy Caboosey fiasco."

"Alright then, let's dance," grinned the other girl. As the two girls danced ridiculously with each other, neither were aware of the heated glare directed at them from dark brown eyes. Once the song was over, Figgins walked to the center of the stage and cleared his throat.

"Attention, students, attention. Will the candidates for prom king and queen please come to the stage? The votes are in." Hermione watched as Finn, Puck, Quinn, Santana, and several others all made their way onto the stage. "This is the moment you've all been waiting for where we announce our junior prom king and also prom queen." Hermione gave her friends an encouraging smile and waited with bated breath for the results. "Roll the drum, please. And this year's junior prom king is…Noah Puckerman!" The football player's jaw dropped, but he quickly covered his surprise by arrogantly approaching Figgins for the crown. After the principal placed the crown upon his head, the boy began flexing his arms and strutting about the stage.

"Way to go, Puck!" Hermione shrieked happily as she clapped along with the crowd. She noticed Santana shoulder check Quinn while mouthing 'you suck' and rolled her eyes at the girl's behavior.

"And now the McKinley High 2011 Prom Queen, with an overwhelming number of write in votes is…Hermione Granger!" The girl in question fell silent as the spotlight shined on her. She only started to move towards the stage after Kurt and Blaine gently nudged her forward. She found Santana's eyes and began mouthing "I'm so sorry" over and over again as she saw the Latina's eyes well up with tears. The raven-haired girl mouthed "it's ok" and smiled at the girl who captured her heart. After the crown was placed on her head, Figgins announced that it was time for the Prom King and Queen to share their first dance. Puck took the girl's hand and led her back to the dance floor.

"Ready to do this, baby girl?" He questioned with a smirk as Santana and Mercedes began singing _Dancing Queen_. She nodded with grin, placing her arms around her friend's neck.

After the dance, only the New Directions and Blaine remained. Santana gestured to Hermione to follow her to the choir room. When they were finally alone, the shorter girl grabbed the young witch's hand and gently tugged her over to the piano.

"I'm really sorry about Prom Queen, San. You know I didn't want it," the British girl frowned as she played with the former cheerleader's fingers.

"I know, princesa. It's ok. You deserved it more than anyone else, you know." Hermione tilted her head in confusion. "You're beautiful and smart and kind and brave. You don't bully people but rather stand up for them. You're amazing. No one should really be shocked that you got Prom Queen. I mean, even—" Before she could continue, she felt lips crash down upon her own and she couldn't help but release a moan. Without breaking their kiss, Hermione moved to straddle the Latina. "Uh, M-Mia, is this a g-g-good idea?" Santana managed to choke out between passionate kisses. Hermione sighed and placed her forehead against the other girl's.

"Probably not, but it's getting harder to resist you, especially when you're wearing that dress and saying such nice things about me," the British girl groaned, biting her lip.

"Mia, you know we really need to talk about where we stand. I mean, you could be going back to Europe at the end of this year and never coming back. You have a completely different life there that I'll never be a part of. You—" She was silenced by urgent lips on her own yet again. Once air became an issue, the two broke apart.

"Sorry, I guess I just can't help myself when it comes to you," the witch spoke with a crooked grin. "Can we just not think about the future and focus on the present? It's been so long, San." Santana looked at the older girl pensively. She wanted to say no because she knew they both needed to work on things, but the older girl gazing lustfully at her through hooded eyes was making it very difficult.

"You know I can't say no to you," the former cheerleader sighed as Hermione climbed up off of her. "Let's take this back to my place though. My parents are out of town again, so…" The British girl beamed at her before grabbing the other girl's hand and dragging her out to the limo where their friends were waiting. As they approached the vehicle, Santana frowned, hoping she wasn't making a mistake by taking the girl home and making love to her despite the fact that she had yet to work out her issues.

"Stop thinking so hard, love," giggled Hermione, unaware of the inner turmoil the other girl was feeling.

* * *

><p><strong>AN, part II: Aaaaaaand there we go! Songs were "You Were Made for Me" by Sam Cooke and "Every Time We Touch" by Cascada. If this story still generates enough interest, I promise to try and update more often! 3 **


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